Cowboy Church #242

 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 Dierks Bentley singing an old Hank Williams song, A House of Gold. What God has to offer us is so much more than anything this world can ever offer. No amount of money or treasure could ever compare to the blessings of God. So, I hope all of us seek God, instead of looking for money or power. 

Then comes Floyd Cramer with Amazing Grace. This hymn was written by John Newton in 1772. It is no coincidence that John Newton wrote this hymn, as he was someone who badly needed God's grace. Looking at his life before he gave it to God, there is not much to find that is admirable and in fact some of what we see is downright horrific. He played a part in one of the darkest (if not the darkest) parts of American history. He was a slave trader. To say that slavery in the United States (and in any country at any time) was a tragedy and a horrible part of our history is an incredible understatement, and this man was a part of that horrific system. Later he even admitted that he treated the human beings that he was bringing over harshly. If there is anyone, we in our humanness would think is beyond God to reach it would be this guy. Yet God did reach him and being God completely changed him. He not only abandoned his job, but he gave his life to God's ministry and helped fight slavery every step of the way. If God could do this with him who is to say that any of us or anyone, we know could possibly be out of God's power to reach. This version of the classic hymn comes from Floyd's 1971 gospel album, Sounds of Sunday.

Next is Marty Stuart with The Gospel Story of Noah’s Ark. 

Afterwards is Johnny Cash with Jesus. This song comes from John's 1974 album, The Junkie and The Juicehead Minus Me. This song is about Jesus' ability to completely change people's lives. This is something that he is still just as capable of as he was when he changed the apostle, Paul. Jesus is still changing lives today and if you need your life changed, he is more than willing. 

Next comes Tennessee Ernie Ford singing I Love to Tell the Story. When recovering from a sickness, Arabella Katherine Hankey wrote a poem about the life of Christ. This poem was broken into two parts the first being called The Story Wanted (published in January 1866) and the second called The Story Told (published in November 1866). I Love to Tell the Story comes from this second part. In 1869 William G. Fisher put this text to music and that is the version we know today. Still, it is worth noting that Hankey wrote her own music for these words, but her music was seldom used and is now forgotten.

Then comes The Bailes Brothers with their 1949 recording of Come to the Savior. No matter who you are and what you have done, Jesus is calling you to come to him. He has blessings for you beyond anything you can ever imagine and will show you a love greater than any you have ever known. 

Today's musical selection ends with The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Lord You Made the Cowboy Happy. 

Now for a message from S.M. Lockridge. 

Now for an episode of Gene Autry's TV show. 

Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. John 4:35-36

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation." Mark 6:15

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. Acts 3:19

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? Romans 10:13-14 

For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:10

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. Hebrews 10:36

But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. Micah 7:7

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