2. Hymn: Jesus, Priceless Treasure

Hymn: Jesus, Priceless Treasure  

Author: Johann Franck (1618-1677) 

Tune: JESU, MEINE FREUDE, by Johann Crüger (1598-1662)

(Vocal)

(Music)

1. Jesus, priceless treasure,
    Fount of purest pleasure,
    Truest friend to me.
    Ah, how long in anguish
    Shall my spirit languish,
    Yearning, Lord, for Thee?
    Thou art mine,
    O Lamb divine!
    I will suffer naught to hide Thee,
    Naught I ask beside Thee.

2. In Thine arms I rest me;
    Foes who would molest me
    Cannot reach me here.
    Though the earth be shaking,
    Ev'ry heart be quaking,
    Jesus calms my fear.
    Lightnings flash
    And thunder crash;
    Yet, though sin and hell assail me,
    Jesus will not fail me.

3. Satan, I defy thee;
    Death, I now decry thee;
    Fear, I bid thee cease.
    World, thou shalt not harm me
    Nor thy threats alarm me
    While I sing of peace.
    God's great pow'r
    Guards ev'ry hour;
    Earth and all its depths adore Him,
    Silent bow before Him.

4. Hence, all earthly treasure!
    Jesus is my pleasure,
    Jesus is my choice.
    Hence all empty glory!
    Naught to me the story
    Told with tempting voice.
    Pain or loss,
    Or shame or cross
    Shall not from my Savior move me
    Since He deigns to love me.

5. Evil world, I leave thee;
    Thou canst not deceive me,
    Thine appeal is vain.
    Sin that once did blind me,
    Get thee far behind me,
    Come not forth again.
    Past thy hour,
    O pride and pow'r;
    Sinful life, thy bonds I sever,
    Leave thee now forever.

6. Hence, all fear and sadness!
    For the Lord of gladness,
    Jesus, enters in.
    Those who love the Father,
    Though the storms may gather,
    Still have peace within.
    Yea, whate'er
    I here must bear,
    Thou art still my purest pleasure,
    Jesus, priceless treasure!

1. Hymn: Himself

Hymn: Himself 

Author: A. B. Simpson
(Vocal)
(Music)

1. Once it was the blessing,
    Now it is the Lord;
    Once it was the feeling,
    Now it is His Word.
    Once His gift I wanted,
    Now the Giver own;
    Once I sought for healing,
    Now Himself alone.

2. Once ’twas painful trying,
    Now ’tis perfect trust;
    Once a half salvation,
    Now the uttermost.
    Once ’twas ceaseless holding,
    Now He holds me fast;
    Once ’twas constant drifting,
    Now my anchor’s cast.

3. Once ’twas busy planning,
    Now ’tis trustful pray’r;
    Once ’twas anxious caring,
    Now He has the care.
    Once ’twas what I wanted,
    Now what Jesus says;
    Once ’twas constant asking,
    Now ’tis ceaseless praise.

4. Once it was my working,
    His it hence shall be;
    Once I tried to use Him,
    Now He uses me.
    Once the pow’r I wanted,
    Now the Mighty One;
    Once for self I labored,
    Now for Him alone.

5. Once I hoped in Jesus,
    Now I know He’s mine;
    Once my lamps were dying,
    Now they brightly shine.
    Once for death I waited,
    Now His coming hail;
    And my hopes are anchored,
    Safe within the veil.

7. Hymn: Blest Father, Infinite in Grace

Hymn: Blest Father, Infinite in Grace

Author: John Nelson Darby (1800-1882)   

1. Blest Father, infinite in grace,
    Source of eternal joy;
    Thou leadst our hearts to that blest place
    Where rest's without alloy.  

2. There will Thy love find perfect rest,
    Where all around is bliss,
    Where all in Thee supremely blest,
    Thy praise their service is.  

3. Eternal love their portion is,
    Where love has found its rest;
    And, filled with Thee, the constant mind
    Eternally is blest.  

4. There Christ, the centre of the throng,
    Shall in His glory shine;
    But not an eye those hosts among
    But sees His glory Thine.  

5. Yet deeper, if a calmer, joy
    The Father's love shall raise,
    And ev'ry heart find sweet employ
    In His eternal praise.

6. Hymn: Oh, How I Love Jesus

Hymn: Oh, How I Love Jesus

Author: Frederick Whitfield (1829-1904)

Tune: O, HOW I LOVE JESUS

(Vocal)

(Music)

1. There is a name I love to hear,

    I love to sing its worth;

    It sounds like music in my ear,

    The sweetest name on earth.

Refrain:

Oh, how I love Jesus,

Oh, how I love Jesus,

Oh, how I love Jesus,

Because He first loved me!

2. It tells me of a Saviour’s love,

    Who died to set me free;

    It tells me of His precious blood,

    The sinner’s perfect plea. 

3. It tells what my Father hath

    In store for every day,

    And though I tread a darksome path,

    Yields sunshine all the way. 

4. It tells of One whose loving heart

    Can feel my deepest woe,

    Who in each sorrow bears a part,

    That none can bear below. 

5. Some Books About Church History

Some Books About Church History:  

1. The Pilgrim Church, by E. H. Broadbent       

    http://followthelamb.net/28/SID28122.pdf

2. Short Papers on Church History, by Andrew Miller 

    https://www.google.com.tw/search?hl=zh-TW&tbs=bkv:r&tbm=bks&sxs..

3. History of the Christian Church, by Philip Schaff 

    https://archive.org/search.php?query=Schaff%2C%20Philip%..

4. Sermons of C. H. Spurgeon

Sermons of C. H. Spurgeon:

https://www.spurgeongems.org/sermons.htm
https://www.spurgeongems.org/booklet.htm

3. Three Important Bible Version

Three Important Bible Version:

1. J. N. Darby's translation.
     http://www.plymouthbrethrenchristianchurch.org/wp-content/..

2. Robert Young's literal translation.
     https://archive.org/details/holybibleconsist00youn/page/n3

3. American Standard Version (ASV).
     https://archive.org/details/crossreferencebi00mons/page/n5

2. Devotional: Time Is Running Out

Time Is Running Out 

Author: A. W. Tozer

The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:12)

    The absence of spiritual devotion today is an omen and a portent. The modern church is all but contemptuous of the sober virtues— meekness, modesty, humility, quietness, obedience, self effacement, patience. To be accepted now, religion must be in the popular mood. Consequently, much religious activity reeks with pride, display, self-assertion, self-promotion, love of gain and devotion to trivial pleasures.  

    It behooves us to take all this seriously. Time is running out for all of us. What is done must be done quickly. We have no right to lie idly by and let things take their course. A farmer who neglects his farm will soon lose it; a shepherd who fails to look after his flock will find the wolves looking after it for him. A misbegotten charity that allows the wolves to destroy the flock is not charity at all but indifference, rather, and should be known for what it is and dealt with accordingly.  

    It is time for Bible-believing Christians to begin to cultivate the sober graces and to live among men like sons of God and heirs of the ages. And this will take more than a bit of doing, for the whole world and a large part of the church is set to prevent it. But if God be for us, who can be against us.

1. A Quote from T. Austin-Sparks

2. A Quote from A. W. Tozer

1. A Quote from Leonard Ravenhill

1. Devotional: Hold On!

Hold On!

by T. Austin-Sparks

Walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith. (Colossians  2:6,7)   

    Abraham in the land... yet the very promises given him of God seeming to be denied. Was Abraham mistaken? Are we not sometimes bewildered with the Lord, and are not His ways past finding out? It all looks such a muddle, but as faith holds on, one day we shall praise Him, as we see the reason for it all afterwards; "the path of the just... shineth more and more unto the perfect day." - Prov. 4:18. Note "PATH" not things! These mysteries of the way contain some secret mystery of God; and are they not another opportunity to show forth His wisdom and power? When all seems gone, the conflict so great, the experience so strange and there is no key to the situation; we are tempted to question whether the promises were even of God; everything is so contrary to what we expected, we begin to wonder if we are all wrong! Just then, is the time for us to stand fast in the Lord and maintain that stand in faith.  

    After all, our experiences are very much alike. There is perplexity, there is apparent contradiction, there is conflict; the forms of experience may vary, but it comes to all of us in some way or another - still "He abideth faithful".  How does this establish us? By the very helplessness of the situation, and ourselves, which causes us to cast ourselves upon Him, and it is then we prove Him. You are coming to the place where you know the mystery of God, and it is a glorious opportunity for Him to show His wisdom and so you are established. It is all a matter of endurance.