Author: Texas Gospel

Changes are coming for The Perrys!

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STOWTOWN RECORDS

The Perrys have announced that baritone, Jamie Streetman, is leaving the group to focus more fully on his business endeavors.  Libbi Perry Stuffle speaks very highly of Jamie, “Jamie is a very hard-working young man … He has been a blessing to The Perrys on stage and off and we wish him nothing but the best.”  

Libbi is also announcing that The Perrys will be welcoming Dayton Gay of Brownsville, TN.  Dayton states, “…. I am so excited to begin this journey with The Perrys and I can’t wait to see what God has in store!”

 You can visit www.perrysministries.com to keep up with StowTown artist The Perrys.

The Talleys’ “The Answer Is Christ” (Live) shares a timeless message

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SPECIAL CROSSROADS RECORDS

Arden, North Carolina (May 26, 2023) — As they continue on with their second series of releases that capture the artistry and energy of gospel favorites, The Talleys, in live performance, continue to look back to the early part of the century — this time with a song that topped the Southern Gospel charts almost exactly 20 years ago, “The Answer Is Christ.”

Embracing the most fundamental message of the gospel, “The Answer Is Christ” finds the trio offering its reassurance through the alternating voices of Roger and Lauren Talley as they bear witness to the heartaches and doubts of life, before they’re joined, together with Debra Talley, in the song’s resolute, uplifting chorus:

He is the hope for the hopeless, the water, the giver of life
He is the strength for the weary, love for those cast aside
He gives rest to the restless, freedom from fear
When things seem impossible know that He’s near
For all of the problems of life, the answer is Christ

As the enthusiasm of the audience at the end of the performance makes clear, the majesty of the original studio recording is, thanks to additional years of faith and musical mastery, made even more profound by the spirit of the gathering.  

As Roger Talley puts it, “Sometimes a song is written that is instantly timeless. ‘The Answer Is Christ’ definitely is timeless. The message has always been, and forever will be, ‘For all of the problems of life, the Answer is Christ!'”Listen to “The Answer Is Christ” (Live) HERE.

About The Talleys
The Talleys began in 1984 and enjoyed many years of success, including a DoveÂŽ Award and numerous Singing News Fan Awards. Following a three-year hiatus, the Talleys began performing together in 1996 with the current lineup of Roger, wife Debra and daughter Lauren, and today the Talleys remain a mainstay of Christian music. The Talleys have enjoyed eleven number one songs, and have received numerous Singing News Fan Awards and Dove Award nominations. They are frequently recognized for their appearances on the Gaither Homecoming video series and concert tour, as well as In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley and John Hagee Ministries. They have appeared on RFD-TV’s “The Music City Show,” and have toured overseas to Norway, Northern Ireland, Italy and South Africa.

Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath

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Mathew 12:8-14 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”  9 Departing from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might bring charges against Him. 11 But He said to them, “What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 How much more valuable then is a person than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then He *said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

Floyd Rogers – Texas Gospel Volunteer, Christian writer

Matthew 12: 8-14 tells us of the Pharisees continued effort to condemn Jesus. Earlier, they pressed him about his apostles picking the heads of grain to eat as they walked on the Sabbath. Now they question him as he heals a man on the Sabbath. Let’s consider why Matthew choose to write about this account. Was he showing us that Jesus was above the law, or is something else going on here? Why did he call himself Lord of the Sabbath? Let’s see what the Bible says about his motive in all of this.

I think Matthew’s purpose is to show the difference between the legalism of the Pharisees who exploited the law, and those who have a heart of service to God. Jesus had just said his burden is light, but the Pharisees used the law to make very heavy burdens as a way to impose their will. Jesus called himself Lord of the Sabbath as he responded to their misuse of the law. So, what was his point?

Some have suggested Jesus used the phrase Lord of the Sabbath to show that he is above the law. These verses could be understood this way. But consider the context. The Pharisees legalistic system of interpretation created a burden for God’s people. Now we see the Pharisees using the the law as a weapon against Jesus. Matthew tells us their purpose was, “…that they might bring charges against Him.” I don’t think Jesus was just saying he is above the law, but that he knows the law and sees through their self-serving application of it. The law was certainly not created for the Pharisees to use as a tool of submission.  It seems the Pharisees portrayed healing a man as work because they wanted to persecute Jesus. It was a self-serving interpretation of the Law. But was Jesus “working” on the Sabbath? Let’s look at what Jesus did and his motive.

Jesus was motivated by compassion for a man who needed healing. He was not motivated by the desire to finish a job (work,) which was forbidden on the Sabbath. To illustrate this he pointed out that the Pharisees would have no problem with a man rescuing a sheep who fell into a ditch on the Sabbath. Isn’t the point that Jesus knew law and was calling out the Pharisees who misinterpreted it out of malice. Doesn’t this make Jesus Lord of the Sabbath?

What are your thoughts?

Also on the web:

Jesus desires compassion rather than sacrifice

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Floyd Rogers – Texas Gospel Volunteer, Christian writer

Matthew 12:1-7  
12 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. 2 Now when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath!” But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions— how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? Or have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath, and yet are innocent? 6 But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 But if you had known what this means: ‘I desire compassion, rather than sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

Matthew 12:1-7 tells us of an encounter Jesus had with the Pharisees and some scolding words they had for him. Let’s look at the context, focus on what the Pharisees said and what it reveals about their motives. Let’s also look at what this says about those who misuse God’s word to impose their own understanding onto others and see if we can find an underlying principle.

Matthew tells us the Pharisees called out Jesus because his disciples picked the heads of grain to eat on the Sabbath. The Pharisees considered this work on the Sabbath. In context, this encounter comes right after Jesus spoke of the wise being confounded by things revealed to those who are as infants. Jesus is now confronted by the “wise” people of his day. The preceding verses tell us God’s burden is light, but the Pharisees have something different in mind. They knew the law very well, but were they blind to its purpose? Let’s look a bit more at the situation.

The wise Pharisees were baffled by a religious leader allowing his followers to do something their understanding of the law told them was a violation of the law. They were also baffled by Jesus’ response. He gave examples from what was written that contradicted the burden the Pharisees were adding. He spoke of David eating “consecrated bread,” and priests who had no guilt even though their actions in the temple on the Sabbath violated the Pharisees’ understanding of the law.    

I believe there is an underlying principle here that we see throughout God’s word.  Our actions are meaningless if they only serve tradition, and they can be harmful if done for the wrong motives. Consider earlier verses in Matthew where Satan spoke of what was written in prophecy as he told Jesus to turn stones to bread or jump off a cliff, but Satan told Jesus to do these things for the wrong reasons; that is, to test God rather than serve Him. Jesus rebuked Satan for this and in Matthew 12:1-7 we see Jesus rebuking religious leaders for doing the same thing. They followed the law for the wrong reasons and imposed it on others as a burden.

The Pharisees enforced religious rituals and external acts with no regard for what was in a person’s heart.  Is this what Jesus meant by a desire for compassion rather than sacrifice?

What are your thoughts?

Also on the web:

Lee McNeil Returnsto the Old Time Preachers Qt

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SPECIAL AG PUBLICITY

Nashville, TN (May 16, 2023) Original lead singer, Lee McNeil, is returning to the Old Time Preachers Qt, but this time, he’ll be singing bass! Lee will be taking the place of former bass singer, Mike Holcomb. Lee is the pastor of Providence Road Baptist Church in Maiden, NC, and will travel with the Old Time Preachers for most dates outside of Sundays; the group will travel as a trio on select Sunday dates.

Group owner and baritone, Les Butler, states, “We are excited and blessed to have Lee, back with us on select dates. His attitude, demeanor, and humility are a blessing to be around. He’s a singing and preaching machine!

The OTPQ has strategically reduced our dates since Covid. First, we were simply doing more than our “old” bodies would allow. Secondly, all of the men are preachers and our personal evangelism schedules started to fill up more and more. We support preaching first; singing second. So, we’re probably going to be doing about 30 dates a year and Lee will be on the majority of these dates. Initially, he took the lead singing spot with us because we had a pretty good bass singer at the time. You may have heard of him. His name is Mike Holcomb. In all seriousness, Lee was a bass singer when I hired him, he simply took the lead spot because that filled our need and he knocked it out of the park in that slot. We are excited for you to hear Lee sing his natural part as a bass vocalist.”

Be sure to listen for their newest radio single, “Everybody Will Be Happy Over There!” This is an old favorite featuring former Bass singer, Mike Holcomb.