Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with In the Sweet By and By. This song came about because of a friendship between composer, Joseph Webster and poet, Dr. Sanford Fillmore Bennett. One day Webster was depressed, and Dr. Bennett recognized this. Dr. Bennett asked his friend what was wrong. Webster replied, "Oh nothing. Everything will be alright by and by." These words brought up an idea in Bennett and he wrote down three verses and a chorus to this song as soon as he could. He handed it to his friend saying, “Here is your prescription, Joe.” Webster loved the lyrics and wrote music for them in practically no time at all. Dr. Bennett later said, “It was not over thirty minutes from the time I took my pen to write the words before two friends with Webster and myself were singing the hymn.” The hymn was first published in 1868 and went on to great fame since.
This is followed by Johnny Cash with When He Comes. This song comes from John's 1979 album, A Believer Sings the Truth. This was a double length gospel album and Columbia Records felt that such an album from John could never be successful. However Columbia allowed John to release the album on its own and it was successful earning a spot in the Country Top 50. A shorter version of the album called I Believe would be released in 1984, which would feature a select few songs from the double album, including this one. Strangely A Believer Sings the Truth would not find its way to CD until 2012. Singing backing vocals for John here are his daughter Rosanne Cash and The Carter Family.
Next comes Del McCoury with Recovering Pharisee. It is important for us all to remember that even when we are Christians we will still occasionally fall into sin. What is important about these times is to not let them defeat us. We have to get right back up and continue to follow God. We can neither continue to live in this sin nor let the fact that we sinned affect our Christian walk.
Then comes Don Gibson with My God is Real. This recording comes from his first gospel album 1958's Where No One Stands Alone. There are many things we can never be sure of in this life and many things that are too complex for us to ever have a definitive answer for. Yet through all this we can be sure God is real. While this can be understood for looking at the sheer beauty and majesty of nature or how complex and interictally constructed everything in this world is, the main way we know this is because if you have walked with him you have felt him move through you and guide you.
That is followed by Blind Willie McTell with his 1940 recording of Amazing Grace.
Next is The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Dwelling In Beulah Land. Dwelling in Beulah Land was written by C. Austin Miles (who also wrote the gospel classic In The Garden) and was first published in 1911. C. Austin Miles once said, “It is as a writer of gospel songs I am proud to be known, for in that way I may be of the most use to my Master, whom I serve willingly although not as efficiently as is my desire.” Roy Rogers (at this time Leonard Slye) sings lead on this song. This was his last year with the Pioneers before he would leave to start his solo movie career.
Then comes The Sons of the San Joaquin with Power in the Blood. Though at times we may feel weak and unable to help ourselves, we don't have to worry. That is because nothing is more powerful than the blood of Jesus. If Jesus can wipe all our sins and make us completely clean, think of how wonderful it is to have him walking through all our hard times with us.
On the same note, let us end with Carrie Underwood singing Nothing But the Blood of Jesus. Appropriately this performance is in the mother church of country music, the Ryman.
Next comes an episode of TV's The Gene Autry Show.
Now for a message from Billy Graham.
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray. Proverbs 12:26
Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. Proverbs 19:20
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13
The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Romans 14:3
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35
The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him. Exodus 15:2
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
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