Cowboy Church #164

 Hello my friends and welcome back to 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 Maddox Brothers and Rose with their 1948 recording of When God Dips His Love In My Heart. When God Dips His Love in My Heart was written by Cleavant Derricks a minister from Chattanooga, Tennessee, who spread the gospel throughout the mid-south. The hymn was published in 1944 by Otis McCoy for The Church of God's Tennessee Music and Printing Company (in Cleveland, Tennessee).  Other songs written by him include Just A Little Talk With Jesus, My Soul Is Satisfied and We’ll Soon Be Done With Troubles And Trials. Despite writing such well known hymns, Derricks didn't receive royalties from them. When he meet Aaron Brown from Canaan Records, Brown learned about this. Brown contacted BMI, a company that represents songwriters and BMI would give Derricks $14,000.

Then comes Molly O'Day with her 1947 recording of Matthew Twenty - Four.

Next is Willie Nelson with I Thought About You Lord. This song was written by Willie himself and appears on his 1996 album, Spirit. 

Now for Tennessee Ernie Ford with We'll Soon Be Done With Troubles And Trials. This life may not always be easy, but our God is so much bigger than any trouble and pain that we have in this world. 

Afterwards is Johnny Cash with This Train is Bound for Glory. This wonderful recording 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. A Believer Sings the Truth would not find its way to CD until 2012.

Now for a wonderful instrumental piano medley by Floyd Cramer of various gospel favorites (What A Friend / Where Could I Go? / It Is No Secret / Hide Me, Rock Of Ages / The Old-Time Religion). 

Today's musical selection ends with the Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Lord You Made the Cowboy Happy. This is a song about appreciating the little things in life. This is something we should do every single day. The amount of blessings that surround us every day is immeasurable. 

Next comes a message from Billy Graham.

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

She opened her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. Proverbs 31:26

 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

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Luke 6:35

But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer. Genesis 39:21

 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:9

 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. 1 John 4:8 

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