Today’s Events 02/02/20

Broke Mill RV Park, Del Rio, Texas

Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.  ~ Proverbs 19:21

Cowboys, Indian chiefs, groundhogs, chickens and miners.

What do all these things have in common?

They all played significant roles in today’s events! 

We tuned in with rapt attention to hear Phil’s annual weather prediction, attended Cowboy Church, complete with a potluck after, and we fried wings to eat just in time for the start of the Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49rs (and yes, our team won! 31-20).

And in between, we made time for . . . . well, not much.  At least nothing you’d care to hear about. 

We learned this morning on the Weather Channel, that Punxsutawney Phil is never wrong with his predictions, it’s the interpreter who sometimes gets it wrong because groundhog-ese is very difficult to understand.  Where’s Dr. Doolittle when you need him?  Anyway, those of you who detest winter, will have an easier time of it this year because for the second year in a row, the interpreter understood Phil to say Spring would arrive early.

Off to Cowboy Church we go.

So just what is “Cowboy Church”?  Here’s what I found on their Hill Country website:

Western heritage or cowboy culture is something you will hear often at a Cowboy Church. Who makes up the culture that God has called us to reach?

• Working cowboys & cowgirls
• Pro-rodeo cowboys & cowgirls
• Arena cowboys & cowgirls
• Cattle people
• Horse people
• Cowboys & cowgirls at heart
• Everyone that lives the cowboy mentality

Think of a target, and all of these people fit into one of the rings on that target – the bulls eye is the ‘working cowboy’.

While teaching his son to shoot a bow a man told his son, “Aim small hit small, aim wide miss wide.”

At Cowboy Church, it is the same thing. You aim for the bulls-eye and hit the target. Shoot for the outer edge…and you just might miss the target of who God called the Cowboy Church to reach with the Gospel.

While we don’t actually fit into any of those categories, we do like horses and Blaine enjoys mooing at cows as we pass by.  But the office told us at check-in that there was church in their rec hall this morning, followed by a potluck that included a 100-year birthday celebration.  Who could possibly pass up a church potluck?!?

Here’s what we found this morning.  A group of friendly people where the men actually outnumbered the women, believe it or not, and a few dozen cowboy hats lying on the tables they had set up.  And one bull rider set to go to a competition in San Antonio.  We had 1” binders with lyrics to old favorite hymns, and a worship team that consisted of an elderly man and woman with guitars, and everyone talks and sings more slowly than those of us from up North. 😊

We began the service with pledges to the American flag, then the Christian flag, then the Bible and followed those with the Doxology.  Songs this morning consisted of oldies but goodies like Amazing Grace and Sweet Hour of Prayer.  No one had an angelic voice, but all were worshiping.

The message this morning was from the book of Acts, Chapter 13.  And once again, we heard of the Jews rejection of the Gospel, but from a different angle.  Many (including Jews) worshiped manmade idols in New Testament times.  People still worship idols today.  Maybe not by worshiping a statue made of wood or iron, but we are all still prone to idol worship.

Do you know what the biggest idol is in America today?  Some suggested money, and I’ll admit that’s where my mind went, but the Pastor pointed out that that’s not the case.  The biggest idol today is us.  We worship ourselves!  And before you start arguing with me, think about it.  What do you do or say to build yourself up?  We now endure the “Me Too” era, but more than that, we are in the “Me” era.  What I want.  What I need.  What I think.  And what you want, need or think is only secondary (or lower) to Me.  It’s the source of anger in us, the source of disagreements, the source of bitterness, and the list goes on.  Philippians 2:3-4 says, Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

And then the Pastor returned to Acts 13:26-48.

The Jews rejected the Gospel, but the Gentiles (that’s everyone who’s not a Jew) not only accepted it, but welcomed it.  Verses 44-46:  On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.  When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying.  Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first.  Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.” 

Why did the Jews feel unworthy?

We grow up knowing we’re sinful people.  We commit our first sin as toddlers (usually a lie about something), then we reach the age of accountability (when we know what we did is wrong), and then willful disobedience (when we say ‘I know better, but I’m doing it anyway’).  We often don’t want to believe that God could ever forgive, let alone love us.  We tell ourselves and Him, ‘Why do you put up with me?’  But that makes a God of love, mercy and justice very small, doesn’t it?  If He’s no different than the people we live with/around, why should we worship or serve Him?  What kind of God would you want to serve?  A God who can rise above our sinful state?  Or One Who allows us to wallow in our sin and is only good for punishment? 

Living a life of obedience to Him is easier and it’s our way of saying “Thank You!” to God and Jesus.  When you sin, go to Him and offer Him a full, 100% confession of your heart – every thought, word and deed, including acts of omission, because sometimes the things we don’t do are just as sinful as those things we do.  So confess everything.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  ~ I John 1:9. He knows it all anyway and He still loves us.  But God demonstrates His own love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ~ Romans 5:8.

As with all churches, the food was wonderful!  And since it was a special birthday celebration, they had meat catered from a local BBQ – – sausage, chicken and beef brisket – – – all smoked.  My, oh, my!! 

And as we ate, we chatted with those at our table.  Wonderful folks!

And later this afternoon, Blaine fried scrumptious wings for us to chow down on during the game. Silly us though. When we bought them, we thought “16 wings, that’s 8 apiece. A little much, but it’s a holiday of sorts.” What we weren’t thinking was that these were entire wings. That meant we actually had 32 wings to eat! Blaine cooked them all, but half went into the freezer.

And that’s all the news that is news for today.