Cowboy Church #220

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

Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans singing Sweet Hour of Prayer. Prayer is one of the important parts of a Christians life but it also something that many Christians don't spend enough time doing. I admit myself to having been guilty of prayer far less than I should. Yet talking to the God of the universe is an incredible privilege we have and one of the greatest blessings in our lives. 

This is followed by Thomas Rhett, Reba McEntire and Chris Tomlin with Be a Light. This performance took place at the 2020 CMA Awards. 

It is hard to believe that a song like The Man Comes Around was so late in Johnny Cash's career. Most of the time singer/songwriters don't release and certainly don't write their best music in their sixth decade, but as all music fans know Johnny was one of the rare artists with such a long career, who left this world at the top of his game musically.  At this time John was on fire for the lord. No longer was he the wild crazy man he had been in the 1950's and 60's, instead by this time he had become a true man of God, and wanted to do all he could for the lord before he passed away. He knew he had wasted too much of his life being controlled by sin and finally wanted to be a servant to God instead of to his own fleshly desires. At this time he was also seeing a musically resurgence, where he was more popular than ever and young audiences were embracing his new music just as much as they did any younger artist of their generation. What he wanted to do was to create a modern day gospel song that would speak directly to this younger audience and The Man Comes Around more than fit that bill. Because this song was so near and dear to him he spent more time writing it than any other song he had composed. In his book, Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon, Pastor Greg Laurie wrote "Personally I think it is the strongest song Johnny ever wrote. It is both biblical and personal, powerful and poetic."

Afterwards is Mountain Faith with Love Lifted Me. This hymn was written in 1912 by James Rowe and Howard E. Smith. Rowe's daughter would later state, “I can see them now, my father striding up and down humming a bar or two, and Howard E. playing it and jotting it down…The two huddled together, working line by line, bar by bar, composing this hymn in tandem.”
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Then comes Harry Macdonough and Haydn Quartet with their 1906 recording of When the Roll is Called Up Yonder. 

Next is The Sons of Pioneers with their 1951 recording of Wonderous Word of the Lord. 

Now for Rex Allen with I Won't Need My Six Gun in Heaven. 

Today's musical selection ends with Willie Nelson and his self-penned gospel song, In God's Eyes. Speaking about this song in his autobiography, It's a Long Story: My Life, Willie stated, "I needed to remind myself that, although I've strayed from the straight and narrow, I never strayed from my core beliefs. In 'In God's Eyes,' the next song in the sequence, I made that very point." This song comes from Willie's 1971 album, Yesterday's Wine. About this album Willie would state, "I looked up and simply began asking questions. Rather than keep those questions to myself, I put them into songs. The songs became my own particular prayers, my own personal reflections. I strung those prayers and reflections together in a loose-fitting suite. Music critics were throwing around the term 'concept album' - like the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club or Marvin Gaye's What's Going On. I suppose you could say this new notion of mine came together as a concept album. Rather than trying to write a bunch of hit singles, I simply followed the natural path taken by my mind."

Now for an episode of the Red Ryder radio show.

Now for a message from S.M. Lockridge. 

Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10 

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalms 18:2

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, Philippians 2:14-15 

And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

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

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4 

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