3/30/20

Repentance or consequences by Gary Rose



GHOST RIDERS IN THE SKY AS SUNG BY VAUGHN MONROE

For more information, go to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/(Ghost)_Riders_in_the_Sky:_A_Cowboy_Legend

Riders in the Sky
Riders In the Sky
Vaughn Monroe
Peak Billboard position # 1 in 1949
Monroe may not have sung it precisely this way but a recording by him was not available so the words and music herein are taken from the sheet music as written by Stan Jones Monroes' version, as well as competing versions by Peggy Lee (# 2), Bing Crosby (#14), and Burl Ives (# 21) were all charted as just "Riders In the Sky"Later, The Ramrods took it to # 30 in 1961 with the parenthetical (Ghost) added,as did the Baja Marimba Band (#52 in 1966) and The Outlaws (#31 in 1981) Lawrence Welk used the original title on his # 87 in 1961.


The Lyrics….
An old cowpoke went riding out one dark and windy day
Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way
When all at once a mighty herd of red-eyed cows he saw
A'plowin' through the ragged skies and up a cloudy draw
Yi-pi-yi-ay, Yi-pi-yi-o

Ghost riders in the sky
Their brands were still on fire and their hooves were made of steel
Their horns wuz black and shiny and their hot breaths he could feel
A bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the sky
For he saw the riders comin' hard and he heard their mournful cry
Yi-pi-yi-ay, Yi-pi-yi-o
Ghost riders in the sky
Their faces gaunt, their eyes were blurred, and shirts all soaked with sweat
They're ridin' hard to catch that herd but they ain't caught them yet
They've got to ride forever in that range up in the sky
On horses snortin' fire, as they ride on, hear their cry
Yi-pi-yi-ay, Yi-pi-yi-o
Ghost riders in the sky
As the riders loped on by him, he heard one call his name
"If you want to save your soul from hell a' ridin' on our range"
"Then cowboy change your ways today or with us you will ride"
"A-tryin' to catch the Devil's herd across these endless skies."
Yi-pi-yi-ay, Yi-pi-yi-o
Ghost riders in the sky
Ghost riders in the sky

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Stan Jones
Riders in the Sky lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Source:
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ei=SQKCXsKWBobu_QaiqZ74Bw&q=the+lyrics+to+ghost+riders+in+the+sky+by+vaughn+monroe&oq=the+lyrics+to+ghost+riders+in+the+sky+by+vaughn+monroe&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQAzIFCCEQqwI6BAgAEEc6BggAEBYQHjoFCAAQzQI6BQghEKABUOhcWIKDAWCRjAFoAHACeACAAZ8BiAH8D5IBBDMuMTSYAQCgAQGqAQdnd3Mtd2l6&sclient=psy-ab&ved=0ahUKEwiC3_-6tMLoAhUGd98KHaKUB38Q4dUDCAo&uact=5


Yesterday morning (3-29-2020) I was on my computer, just filling in time before the Southside church of Christ Facebook broadcast of worship services and I spied a post that interested me. It said something like: find what song was a number one hit when you were born and ask yourself if it could be the theme-song for your life. So, I did a search and found Ghost riders in the sky by Vaughn Monroe (May 1949 – Yes, I am old). I vaguely remembered the title but when I found it and played it over and over. I found that I really enjoyed Vaughn’s baritone voice and the graphics of the video were interesting. The cowboy seemed to look a little bit like Clint Eastwood to me (you may remember him from the series “rawhide”). But, what stood out above everything was that admonition at the end of the song to: “change your ways”.

The world has been enduring a terrible virus for some time now and each day the news gets worse and worse. As the infection spreads and the death toll mounts I wonder if this could be a message from God to “change our ways”? Western civilization, as a whole has turned from God. We have become so wicked that we have even killed something like 40,000,00 unborn children. Compared to a great many nations, even the poorest of us live in luxury. In general, The United States has become self-absorbed, indulgent, prideful and more and more anti-God each year. As I think about it we are something like one of the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation. Jesus’ revelation to the apostle John says…


Revelation 3 ( World English Bible )
  [14] “To the angel of the assembly in Laodicea write:
“The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning  of God’s creation, says these things:
  [15] “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot.   [16]  So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth.   [17] Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing,’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked;   [18]  I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.   [19]  As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent.   [20]  Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with me.   [21]  He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.   [22]  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.” 

In six months, many of us may no longer be alive. Have you listened to Jesus and acted on it? “Change your ways” is just another way of saying repent.
Question: Have you?