Cowboy Church #221

 Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.

Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with a wonderful version of the classic hymn, How Great Thou Art. In their book, Happy Trails: Our Life Story, Roy tells of a story that had to do with this song. "I'll tell you about one time we nearly got into a real war with the promoters: at the World Championship Rodeo at Madison Square Garden in 1952. During the first rehearsal I started to practice 'How Great Thou Art,' a religious song I wanted to make the centerpiece of our musical act. There's a line in that song that goes, 'Then sings my soul my Savior God to Thee...' Someone in the front office heard the rehersal and came to me that night to tell me I wasn't allowed to mention Christ at the rodeo. 'It might work for the kids in Houston, Texas' he told me, 'But this is New York. You can't preach to kids here.' I told him I wasn't preaching but that the Savior was a part of the song and I fully intended to sing that song in New York or anywhere else we performed. They suggested that I could change the words of the song so it didn't mention Him. I'm not one for grandstand plays but I told those fellas that if I couldn't sing 'How Great thou Art' just how it was written, Dale and I would pack up and leave town. The song stayed in the show. That year we did forty-three performances over twenty-six days and broke all Madison Square Garden attendance records."

This is followed by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton with Daddy Was an Old Time Preacher Man. This song was written by Dolly and her aunt Dorothy Jo Hope. They wrote this song about Rev. Jake Owens, who was Dolly's grandfather and a Pentecostal minister. Daddy Was an Old Time Preacher Man was the single from Porter and Dolly's 1970 album together, Once More. 

Next is Billy Walker with Hello God. It is too often that we simply take the fact that we are allowed to talk to God for granted. The fact that the creator of the universe actually cares about us and wants to have a conversation with us is simply mind blowing when you stop to think about it. It is impossible to describe just how blessed we are to have this opportunity.

Afterwards is Johnny Cash with Look Unto the East. This song serves as an important reminder whenever we look at the state of the world and see all the horrible injustices that not only exist but are often rampant. God is not blind, he sees what is happening and he will not allow it to last forever.  

Now for The Monroe Brothers with their 1936 recording of God Holds the Future in His Hand. 

Next is The Charlie Daniels Band with My Chosen One. This song comes from the group's 1994 album, The Door. In his memoir, Never Look at the Empty Seats, Charlie Daniels wrote, "I think the most pressure I was ever under as a songwriter was when I wrote the songs for our first gospel album, The Door. It was such a special project to me. I wanted it to be much more than just another gospel album. I wanted the lyrics to have impact and hopefully speak to some of the people who, like me, had such a hard time understanding the gospel message and were falling through the cracks." (Daniels, 260) Charlie worked very hard on each song and rewrote some multiple times. The effort paid off. This fantastic 1994 album shows The Charlie Daniels Band at their best and it won them their first Dove Award.

Then comes The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1948 recording of Rounded Up in Glory.

Today's musical selection ends with Bob Dylan singing Precious Angel. This song comes from his 1979 album, Slow Train Coming, which was his first Christian album.

Now for a sermon for Billy Graham. 

Now for the next chapter of Gene Autry's movie serial, The Phantom Empire (1935). 

If you have trouble reading the following pages click on them and use your touch screen to zoom in. 

The Exhibitor, 1951

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Colossians 4:2

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17

 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Daniel 6:10

 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:18-19

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8

 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.  Hebrews 13:8

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.