Cowboy Church #159

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

Today's musical selection starts with The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Lead Me Gently Home Father. This recording shows the group at their absolute best with truly incredible and beautiful harmonies. 

This is followed by Tennessee Ernie Ford and The Jordanaires with On the Jericho Road.  For each of us there will be tough times in our lives (though some will have tougher times than others). However, it is lucky for us that none of us have to walk through any hard time by ourselves. Jesus is there beside us comforting us through every tough time we may ever have. He will be our true friend through all of it. This recording comes from an album Cousin Ernie and The Jordanaires made together in 1964 called Great Gospel Songs. The song itself was written in 1928 by Don and Marguerete McCrossman. 

Now we join Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with a wonderful version of the classic hymn, How Great Thou Art. In the 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 rehearsal 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."

Then comes Buck Owens and Susan Raye with a duet of a song Buck wrote, When You Get To Heaven (I'll Be There). This comes from a 1973 album, the two made together called, The Good Old Days (Are Here Again).

 This is followed by Johnny Cash singing No Earthly Good. In the notes for the Unearthed box set, John wrote, "That's a song I wrote for phony pious Christians 'You're so heavenly minded you're no earthly good.' People who are always talking about Heaven and how close we are to being there give Christianity a bad name. And it should have a good name because it's a wonderful thing. Wonderful and I don't like it, it makes me very angry, when charlatans abuse and misuse the Gospel of Jesus Christ, It's outrageous and totally uncalled for."

That is followed by Dottie West with His Eye is on the Sparrow. This hymn was written by Civilla D. Martin (lyrics) and Charles H. Gabriel (music) in 1905. This recording of the song comes from Dottie's 1967 gospel album, Dottie West Sings Sacred Ballads. 

Then is The Statler Brothers with The Old Rugged Cross. This hymn dates back to 1913 and was written by evangelist, George Bennard. Actually the first verse was written in 1912. It was written while Bennard was a part of a series of revival meetings in Albion, Michigan. He was worried about the complete disregard for the gospel around him and wrote this verse as a repose. Of writing it Bennard said, "I seemed to have a vision ... I saw the Christ and the cross inseparable." The song wouldn't be completed for several months, when he was leading meetings at a local church in Pokagan, Michigan. He played it for Rev. Leroy (the sponsoring pastor) and his wife, Ruby Bostwick, both of whom found themselves moved to tears. It was then incorporated into a service at that church on June 7, 1913. The song has the same effect today as it must have back then.

Today's musical selection ends with one of the greatest harmonica players to ever exist, Charlie McCoy, with his rendition of Precious Memories. 

Now for a sermon from the great Martin Luther King Jr. 

Now for an episode of Roy Rogers' radio show. 

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

Actually, godliness is a great source of profit when it is combined with being happy with what you already have. 1 Timothy 6:6

 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4

 And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. Proverbs 21:3

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