CowboyCountryGospel

The purpose of CowboyCountryGospel is to provide you with practical helps in some key areas of your calling. We want to address the needs of pastor, preacher and/or teacher as well as the Christian lay person. It is specifically designed to help meet your ministry needs in such areas as . . .

• Sermon Preparation
• Sermon and Teaching Material
• Small Group Bible Studies
• Outreach
• Personal Devotions

CowboyCountryGospel

Fence Post Devotionals

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Love One Another

“If y’all haven’t got this by now, let Me just tell ya again what I’m expectin’ of ya. Here it is: The main thing is that y’all love one another just like I have loved you”
 —John 15:12 (The Gospel of John Cowboy Style).

If we’re honest, loving people the way Jesus loves us might just be one of the toughest trails we ever ride. It’s easy enough to quote the verse, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” but the tough part comes when we remember Jesus wasn’t talkin’ about the nice neighbor who brings peach cobbler to the church potluck. He meant everybody—the easy ones, the difficult ones, and even the ones who rub our fur the wrong way.

Truth is, loving folks can be a downright sacrifice.

Some people we take to right away—they’re gentle, thoughtful, easy to be around. Others… well, they come at you sideways. They’re prickly, moody, or just plain aggravatin’. But Jesus didn’t divide people into “likable” and “unlikable.” He simply said, “Love them like I love you.”

That’s a mighty tall order.

Back in my seminary days, I worked a summer job on a dairy farm to help pay the bills. Now, milking ninety head of Holstein cattle twice a day will teach a man more lessons than any classroom ever could.

Some of those cows were sweet as sorghum molasses—gentle, patient, standin’ right where you wanted ’em. I liked those gals. I even gave ’em pet names. But some of the others? Mercy. They were cantankerous, kickin’, tail-smackin’, head-slingin’ bundles of attitude. I didn’t like them one bit. And yes sir, I gave them names too… they just weren’t exactly Sunday-school approved.

But something happened as the days turned into weeks.

As I worked with those hard-to-love cows, got used to their quirks, learned their patterns, and saw ’em for what they were—creatures with their own temperaments and fears—something in me began to shift. It wasn’t that the cows changed. They acted the same as the first day I met ’em.

But I changed.

And wouldn’t you know it, the more I understood them, the easier it was to accept them. And once acceptance took root, a strange thing happened—affection wasn’t far behind.

That summer, knee-deep in hay and Holsteins, the Lord taught me a lesson about people:

We don’t always get to choose who’s easy to love. But we do get to choose whether we’ll stay open long enough to understand them.

If we’ll lean in, listen, observe, and remember that everyone’s carryin’ hidden burdens we can’t see, we just might find the same thing I found in that barn—our hearts soften, not because they changed… but because we did.

And that’s exactly the kind of love Jesus is talkin’ about. Not love measured by our comfort, but measured by His example.

Trail Marker

Love ain’t about how easy a person is to get along with — it’s about lettin’ Jesus stretch your heart wide enough to hold folks just as they are, the same way He holds you.

Campfire Musing

Who in my life is difficult to love—and what step can I take this week to understand them a little better, the way Jesus understands me?

Prayer from the Trail

Lord Jesus, You sure have loved me with patience, mercy, and grace I didn’t deserve. Help me ride that same trail with others. Open my eyes to see folks the way You see ’em. Soften my heart toward the ones who are hard to handle, and teach me how to love not by my own strength, but by Yours. Guide my steps today, and make me an instrument of Your grace on this dusty stretch of trail. In Your name I pray, Amen.

CowboyCountryGospel

Fence Post Devotionals

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Homesick for Heaven

 

“Here’s plenty of room on My Father’s spread  (John 14:2a) The Gospel of John Cowboy Style

 

A Longing for Home

When Jesus talked about His Father’s House, He was talkin’ about home — His eternal home. I get the notion that after walkin’ this dusty earth for thirty-three and a half years, He was mighty homesick for heaven.

That night in the upper room, just before His betrayal, Jesus spoke to His disciples about goin’ back to His Father’s place. You can almost hear the longing in His voice — a mix of love for those He’d soon leave behind and the eager anticipation of goin’ home.

That Old Feeling of Homesickness

Have you ever been homesick? I reckon most of us have.

I remember my first real taste of it back in my freshman year of college. My folks dropped me off at a small state school where I didn’t know a soul. As I stood by the dorm window watchin’ Mom and Dad drive away, my stomach started twistin’ up in knots. It hit me right then — I was homesick.

When Thanksgiving finally rolled around, I packed my bag, put on my R.O.T.C. uniform, and stepped up to board a Greyhound bus. The driver looked at me and said, “Where you headed, son?”

Without hesitatin’, I said, “I’m goin’ home.”

And I can’t help but wonder if that’s the same feeling Jesus had when He talked about His Father’s House — that deep-down assurance that soon He’d be headin’ home.

Heaven — Our Real Home

Every born-again believer knows a little something about that feeling. Deep inside, we get homesick for heaven from time to time. The writer of Ecclesiastes spoke about our “eternal home” (Ecclesiastes 12:5).

And the old hymn puts it plain as day:

“This world is not my home, I’m just a-passin’ through;
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.”

When God saved us, He didn’t just forgive our sins — He gave us a brand-new zip code, a heavenly one. We’re citizens of another country now. Earth might be where we pitch our tent, but heaven is where we’ve got our deed.

So if you ever find yourself homesick for your earthly home — maybe think about that heavenly one, too. Because one day, friend, the bus is comin’, and Jesus Himself will be drivin’ it, sayin’, “Climb aboard — we’re goin’ home.”

A Heavenly Beatitude

I like to think of this as a beatitude for believers on the trail:

“Blessed are those who are homesick for heaven,
for they shall be comin’ home.”

And before we get there, we ought to get better acquainted with our eternal home. As J.C. Ryle once said, “Before we go to our eternal home, we should try to become acquainted with it.”

Trail’s End Thoughts

Jesus spoke of His Father’s House with a heart full of homesickness — not the sad kind, but the hopeful kind. Heaven isn’t just a place far off in the clouds; it’s the home we were made for, prepared by the Savior who loves us. Every longing, every ache, every homesick moment we feel in this life is just a reminder that we’re not home yet — but we soon will be.

Something to Ponder

When life down here starts feelin’ long and lonely, do you ever stop to remember that heaven is your true home — and that Jesus is already there, waitin’ for you?

Talkin’ to the Boss

Heavenly Father,
 Thank You for preparing a home for us in Your presence — a place where heartache, weariness, and tears will be no more. When our hearts grow homesick and the road gets rough, remind us that our true home is with You.

Help us to walk faithfully until that day You call us home, where we’ll rest forever in Your love and light.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

CowboyCountryGospel

Fence Post Devotionals

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Coming Home

 

“There’s plenty of room on My Father’s spread; if it weren’t so I would tell ya. I’m goin’ there to get a place ready and fittin’ for every single one of y’all. You can hang your hats on this; if I go to get a place ready for ya, I’ll be a-ridin’ back My own self to fetch ya so where I am there y’all will be too” (John 14:2-3). The Gospel of John Cowboy Style

Life down here can feel a lot like driftin’ from one camp to another. We pitch our tents, we work hard, we love folks along the way — but deep inside, we know we ain’t meant to stay. Jesus told His followers not to get too settled in this world, ’cause our real home’s somewhere far better. He said He was headin’ out ahead of us to get things ready — a place built by His own hands, where the dust never rises, the tears never fall, and the night never comes.

Reminds me of a story about an old missionary couple who’d spent near forty years servin’ the Lord in a faraway land. They gave up comfort, family, and most of what this world calls success — just to share the Gospel with folks who’d never heard the name of Jesus. When their work was done, they boarded a ship to head home to America.

Wouldn’t you know it, there was a famous American diplomat on that same ship — one of those big names everybody reads about in the papers. When the ship docked, the harbor was packed. A brass band was playin’, reporters were snappin’ pictures, and the crowd cheered when that diplomat stepped ashore.

But when the old missionary and his wife walked off the gangplank, there wasn’t a soul waitin’ for ’em. No band. No banners. No welcome home. They grabbed their worn-out suitcases, found a cheap little hotel room, and that night the missionary knelt by the bed and prayed,

“Lord, I don’t understand. I’ve spent my life servin’ You. I gave You everything I had. And now, when I come home, there’s nobody to welcome me.”

And right there in the quiet, the Lord spoke to his heart and said,

“My child… you’re not home yet.”

That’s the truth we all need to hold onto. This world can be mighty rough — there’ll be times when it feels like nobody notices the miles you’ve ridden for the Lord. But friend, don’t you lose heart. The day’s comin’ when the trail ends, the dust settles, and the Lord Himself will meet you at Heaven’s gate.

There will be a differnt kind of crowd, and music like you’ve never heard  — and  Jesus waitin’ with open arms sayin’, “Welcome home.”

On that day, every lonely mile will be worth it. The band’ll play, the angels’ll sing, and we’ll finally be where we belong — home with Him, forever.

Reflection Question

Are you ridin’ for the brand of this world, or are you keepin’ your eyes fixed on the home trail — the one that leads straight to Jesus?

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for promisin’ us a home that’ll never wear out or blow away. When the journey gets long and the trail gets rough, remind us that we’re just passin’ through. Keep us faithful on the ride, and help us to look ahead to that day when You’ll meet us at Heaven’s gate and say, “Welcome home.” In Your precious name we pray, Amen.

Thought for the Trail

“But our citizenship is in heaven; from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” — Philippians 3:20

CowboyCountryGospel

Fence Post Devotionals

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Divine Appointment

 

When Jesus hits the trail, it’s never by accident — He’s always got somebody on His heart, and it just might be you.

“Jesus figured it was gettin’ ‘bout time to move on to Galilee. So He cleared on out of Judea for the time bein’. He was of a mind to follow the trail through Samaria, so they lit out.”
— John 4:3–4 (“The Gospel of John Cowboy Style”)

When Jesus and His disciples left Judea on their way to Galilee, John included this interesting note about His travel plans: “He was of a mind to follow the trail through Samaria.”

The King James puts it this way: “He must needs go through Samaria.”

Now, that’s a curious statement. There were other routes He could’ve taken—most Jews in those days avoided Samaria altogether. The Samaritans and Jews didn’t mix much, and good religious folks were known to take the long way ‘round just to stay clear.

But not Jesus.

He said, “I must needs go through Samaria.”

Why?

Because there was a divine appointment waiting for Him there.

At an ancient well outside the town of Sychar, a weary, thirsty woman would come to draw water—and she had no idea Heaven had marked that moment on her calendar long before she was born. Jesus had to go through Samaria because that woman mattered to God. Her story, her sin, her thirst—all of it mattered. And that day, she met the Savior who offered her “living water” that would quench her soul forever.

Friend, did you know that Jesus also has a divine appointment with you?

Just like the woman at the well, you may not know when or where—but He does. Long before you ever thought about Him, He was already thinking about you. He’s been walking your way, seeking you out, ready to offer you the same living water—eternal life that satisfies every longing of the heart.

The woman of Samaria was found at a well.
I was found in my own backyard.
And maybe you’ll be found right where you are—reading these very words.

Because Jesus always keeps His appointments.

I’m reminded of an old story about a man named Yam Sing. When he came forward to join a Bible-believing church, the pastor asked him, “How did you find Jesus?”

With a humble grin, he replied in broken English, “I no find Jesus at all. He find me.”

And that, dear friend, is the truth of it. He’s still finding folks every day.

Jesus never misses an appointment, and when He finds you, He doesn’t just change your day—He changes your eternity.

Reflection Question:

Have you recognized the moment when Jesus came looking for you?

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for the way You seek us out, even when we’re wanderin’ far from the trail. Thank You for knowing our hearts, our hurts, and our thirst. Just like the woman at the well, we need that living water that only You can give.

Help us to recognize the moments when You draw near, and give us the faith to open our hearts to You completely. May Your Spirit fill us, refresh us, and lead us day by day until we see You face to face.

In Your precious name we pray,
Amen.

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