Circuit Riders Cowboy Church

05/30/2026

May 30
The Lord Is Close

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18 (NIV)

There is something about grief and brokenness that makes God’s presence almost palpable in our lives. You have probably heard someone say, or maybe you have said it yourself, that in a particular time of great turmoil, the presence of God was felt in a way like no other time. There is a special part of Himself that He reveals in times when we are most broken, perhaps because that is when we are most open to seeing Him.

Psalm 3:3 paints some beautiful word pictures as it describes the Lord as a shield around us and the One who lifts our heads high. Imagine that for a moment. Envision Him right now, wholly surrounding you with His protection and lifting your head up towards His loving gaze. If you are grieving today, He cares, and He grieves with you. Jesus demonstrated this empathy He feels when He wept with His friends over the death of their beloved friend Lazarus. Jesus was well aware that He was about to raise Lazarus back to life, but He drew close to the brokenhearted and grieved along with them. Their sadness was all too real, and Jesus understood that. And He felt it. What a tender and compassionate Savior!

This means that when you have no strength to go through the day or face life’s challenges because you are weighed down by grief, He is close. He feels your heartache. He empathizes with your despair. And He is coming alongside you even now to protect you and lift your head bowed low with grief.

Pause to Ponder: Are you in the midst of sorrow today? If so, take a moment and thank God for being close to you in your darkest hour. Praise Him for His faithfulness and expect Him to protect you and be the lifter of your head.

05/28/2026

May 28
Minding Your Business

And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you.
1 Thessalonians 4:11 (ESV)

Growing up, I can recall a few sitcom television programs that depicted a fictional family’s life. Inevitably, a comical nosy neighbor would drop in unexpectedly to leave unsolicited commentary on how the family was doing things all wrong. The grass was never cut correctly, or the children weren’t adequately disciplined. The nosy neighbor would wag his or her finger in disapproval, and the family would let out a sigh of relief as soon as he or she finally returned to the other side of the fence. The irony was that the neighbor was so busy sticking their nose in everyone else’s matters, they neglected to take care of their own grass!

In 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul takes some time to talk about conducting your life in a godly manner that not only pleases God but also puts you in good standing with your neighbor. He gives this warning against meddling in things that are none of your business because it will only stir up trouble and detract from your Christian testimony. This also coincides with his instruction to work hard with your hands instead of sitting back and expecting everyone else to do the work you are not willing to do yourself. Working with your hands points to minding your own business because you are caring for your tasks and are focused on working hard to accomplish them. Busybodies and idleness shed a negative light on your life’s testimony that all can see.

Pause to Ponder: Do you have a habit of inserting yourself into other people’s personal matters? How can you pour that energy into minding your own business and making sure you are taking care of your own affairs?

05/27/2026

May 27
Guard on Duty

Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.
Psalm 141:3 (NIV)

When you think about the duties human guards perform, some specific tasks come to mind. They are generally assigned to watch and protect something of great value, such as a precious gem, a bank, a community of homes, or even another person. They might be on the lookout for danger or intruders, or they may patrol to perform routine checks to ensure doors are locked and everything is in safe, working order. A successful guard must be dedicated to their post with laser-sharp focus (any movie involving a jewelry heist will show you the first thing a thief must do is distract the guard!).

You have likely acted as an overseer of something before, even if it is not your actual employment. Parents guard their children against harm, and people purchase alarms to help protect their cars from getting stolen or their homes from being broken into. You defend the things that are important to you, and the Bible says that your lips, or your words, are worth extra protection.

Visualize your mouth as a solid door. You are the gatekeeper of what is allowed to come out. Therefore, you must be dedicated with the same focus and care as a guard to ensure that you are not letting thoughtless words just slip by. Before you speak, look for danger. Look for words trying to escape with the intent of intruding or causing harm to others and stop them! By standing guard over your lips, you can help safeguard the words you say.

Pause to Ponder: Are you unaware or careless with the words you say? Today, would you ask God to help you set up a guard at the door of your mouth?

05/27/2026

Ya'll come on out this Sunday and help welcome and worship with "Strings 4 Him" and lunch afterwards. Hope to see ya there.

05/25/2026

May 24
The Center of It All

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:1 (ESV)

The opening verse of the Bible appears to be straightforward. But if you take some time to dive into these ten words, you will be amazed at what is revealed about the character of God! Here are a few truths we can draw out from this particular verse. Can you find more?
God is at the center of this story. He is the subject, and He is central to everything. This story is about Him.
God was already there when the story began. Job 36:26 says, “Indeed, God is great—beyond our knowledge; the number of His years is unsearchable” (BSB). Though this is the beginning of a story, it is not His beginning. This is where He began our story and invited us to be a part of His existence, which was already there.
God is not His creation. He is the Creator. There is a distinction between who God is and what He created.
God is powerful and intentional! From its start, not one part of His plan for creation was a coincidence or accident. He set out to do precisely what He said, and He, in all of His infinite power, accomplished it!
“In the beginning” implies there is an end. Our days are numbered (Job 14:5). There is an urgency to do all we can with the time we have.
All things are dependent upon God and have Him to thank for their existence.
So, when you open your Bible to the beginning, remember that God has invited you to be a part of His one-of-a-kind story.

Pause to Ponder: What truth stood out to you from Genesis 1:1? Take some time to examine this verse further and see if you can discern another truth about God or His character.

05/23/2026

May 23
More, More, More!

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
Matthew 5:6 (NKJV)

How much of your day is spent on things that do not truly satisfy you, where you consume and consume, yet you’re still empty? Hunger is the price you will pay when you dedicate all your time to feeding your flesh. Maybe that looks like trying to escape through watching television or playing on your phone. Or perhaps it’s through shopping or gambling. It could even be literal food. No matter what your flesh is craving, it will always leave you hungry for more, and you will never truly be satisfied.

But Jesus says those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled! This type of hunger ends in satisfaction. There is peace, security, love, joy, and confidence in feasting upon God’s goodness. To strive for righteousness, you must conform to the will of God and not your earthly desires. It does not mean you will be perfect. No human can achieve perfection. But if your heart truly desires what God says is good and right, then He is faithful to fill you up. John 4:14 says, “But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst, but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life” (NASB).

Pause to Ponder: Do you have an appetite for righteousness? Or do you spend more time consuming earthly pleasures?

05/20/2026

May 20
One Thing

Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
Luke 10:41-42 (NASB)

During Jesus' earthly ministry, He comes to Martha's home and begins to teach. Martha immediately busies herself with meal preparations. At one point, she glances over and her sister Mary is sitting at Jesus' feet, listening to His teachings. Seeing this infuriates Martha to the point where she turns to Jesus and says, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" (Luke 10:40, NIV). Can't you just hear her saying that! And here is Jesus' calm response to Martha. He says, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

In essence, Jesus is saying: "Martha, here I am. I am in your home, and I have things to say that you do not want to miss. I know you love Me, and you are trying to show that love by serving Me, but what I want more than your service is YOU." Do you ever get so caught up serving Jesus that you forget about investing in your relationship with Him? What He wants more than your service is you—your time, your love, your attention, and your "sitting at His feet" to soak up everything He has to say. Martha's story reminds us that what is good and often noble can sometimes be the enemy of what is best.

Pause to Ponder: Evaluate what absorbs your time, attention, and talent. Ask God if any of your heart's priorities need to be realigned with that of Christ's. Today, ask God if you have put service for Him above your devotion to Him.

05/19/2026

May 19
Dressed for the Day

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
Colossians 3:12 (ESV)

Have you ever encountered the familiar nightmare where you get up in front of a large group of people only to realize at the last second you have less than the appropriate amount of clothes on? The reason this scenario is so absurd and horrifying is that no one simply forgets to properly dress before walking out in public!

When you wake up in the morning, getting dressed for the day is likely a part of your everyday routine. And where you are headed probably dictates which style you choose and the varying degree of casual to formal. But regardless of what you decide to wear, being adequately dressed is usually a priority. In the same way, the Bible instructs you to clothe yourself with Spirit-filled characteristics like compassion, kindness, meekness, patience, etc. Imagine if every time you walk into your closet and reach for a shirt, you also grab a handful of humility and actively put it on for the rest of the day. How would this impact your family, coworkers, or every person with whom you come into contact? Not only would they observe the shirt you are wearing, but they would also notice you have put on humility as well. When you do this, you reflect Christlikeness in your life.

Pause to Ponder: How can you actively put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience today?

05/18/2026

May 18
Purpose in Fasting

That your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Matthew 6:18 (ESV)

Fasting is a spiritual discipline that was exemplified several times throughout the Bible, even by Jesus Himself. In most cases, fasting is a voluntary elimination of food for a set amount of time and fosters spiritual growth. There are several reasons why one, or even a group of people, might fast, but Biblical fasting always has a spiritual purpose. In Matthew 6, it clearly states your motivation for fasting should not be for recognition or attention from others.

Here are some reasons why you may choose to purposefully fast:
To seek guidance from the Lord – Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 34:28, NIV)
During a season of grief - Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days. (Samuel 31:13, NIV)
For protection - Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him. (2 Chronicles 20:2-4, NIV)
To repent - When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Now Samuel was serving as leader of Israel at Mizpah. (1 Samuel 7:6, NIV)
To worship, or seek intimacy with God - There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. (Luke 2:36-37, NIV)
Remember, whatever your purpose, fasting is ultimately between you and God.

Pause to Ponder: Have you ever tried fasting for spiritual reasons? Does one of the above reasons for fasting resonate with you today? Seek the Lord’s guidance as you consider entering a time of fasting.

05/17/2026

May 17
Burnout

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:29-30 (NIV)

I have a love/hate relationship with popcorn. I love eating it; I hate cooking it. The directions on the back of the bag do their best to instruct the consumer to properly pop popcorn. The problem is, the range of time given to cook popcorn can vary considerably depending on the strength of the microwave. I have stood countless times, waiting for just the right amount of silence between each "pop." But alas, even after cooking popcorn in the same microwave for seven years, the bag is consistently overcooked and charred (my children are going to grow up thinking burnt popcorn is normal).

Has life ever left you feeling like charred popcorn? Like burnt popcorn, you remained inside the heat and pressure too long and found yourself utterly and completely burned out. Perhaps it was chronic stress or emotional fatigue; but either way, it resulted in feeling exhausted, empty, and unable to cope with life's demands. Burnout can lead to weakened health, social withdrawal, depression, and spiritual unease.

The greatest solution to burnout is to find refreshment in Jesus. This refreshment may include finding comfort through Scripture (try spending time in John 15, Romans 8, or Psalm 139), drastically altering your life activities, and seeking help from a Christian counselor. Recovering from burnout also involves consulting God before you say "yes" and understanding when to say "no." Since burnout is often (but not always) the result of self-reliance, people-pleasing, an overextended schedule, and not taking care of yourself, with God's help, your spirit needs to be retrained to depend on Him to carry out your responsibilities. God designed you, and He knows what you need to best function. So, figure out how to find rest in Him before rest has to come and find you.

Pause to Ponder: If you are approaching burnout (or are already there), what is one way you can stop and find refreshment in Jesus Christ today?

05/17/2026