Music for the Christian Warrior
Original music by James A. Hronchek & Chandra L. Hronchek
Composer: James A. Hronchek
Album Back-Story
More Precious Than Gold was our first album, professionally recorded in 1982 at Pinebrook Studio in Alexandria, Indiana. It was produced by Steve Millikan, a very gifted musician who also played keyboards and arranged the instruments and vocals for the pieces. Sound engineer: Steve Archer; bass guitar: Steve Dokken; percussion: Steve Hanna; electric and acoustic guitars: Jim Hronchek; trumpet: Gregory Tryling; English horn, saxophone and clarinet: Greg Imboden; background vocals Shelly Harris, Julie Makers, Craig Patty, Chandra Hronchek, Steve Millikan and members of New Covenant Fellowship. The synthesizer was a Pro One, an early monophonic synthesizer, and was played by Jim H, Steve M and Charles Woodrick. Each song from the album was based on The Lords Prayer, exploring its depths of meaning. All of the song lyrics were meticulously based on scripture from the King James Bible.
More Precious Than Gold is based on: Matthew 9:20-22; Psalm 18:3; John 11:41,43,44; Psalm 18:4-10; Psalm 18:14; Psalm 18:16-19; Matthew 28:2,5,6; Romans 8:11
… but deliver us from evil …
More Precious Than Gold is a story song. The three verses tell three different stories of trials that were experienced by people: Verse 1 is the story of the woman with the hemorrhage, verse 2 is the raising of Lazarus, and verse 3 is what happened as Jesus hung on the cross. Each verse starts with singing, then the section of the Bible is spoken with the music in the background. Verse 3 contains quite a bit of prophetic scripture from Psalm 18 about what happened in the heavens at the crucifixion. Each of these people was delivered from evil supernaturally.
More Precious Than Gold
The Bible says, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:7)
Notice that it does not say YOUR trial, but the trial of your FAITH is more precious than gold. It is precious because when you walk through trials with God at your side, your faith grows stronger.
More Precious Than Gold was actually written in the studio as we were recording. God had said that this would be so, so we went into recording mode still short one song for the album. We were a bit concerned because in a studio, time is money and we didn’t want to take any more time than absolutely necessary, but God came through and we were able to record as if it had been planned.
LYRICS
Verse 1
Many times I cried,
Often I wondered, “Why?”
All those years that I did bleed,
Spent all I had to be freed.
Then I heard there was a man
Who could heal my empty hand.
And when I heard Him speak,
I knew, I knew He spoke to me.
Spoken
There was a woman who had bled for twelve years. She said in her heart, “If only I can touch the hem of His garment, I will be healed.” When Jesus saw what she had done, He said, “Daughter, your faith has made you whole.”
Chorus
You don’t have to cry
You don’t have to cry
All you do is call on Me
And I’ll be there to set you free
Verse 2
I was alone, I was afraid
In the tomb that I had made.
Martha sent for you, my friend,
We hoped you’d be here before the end.
Then I recalled the words You said,
“He who believes in Me shall not see death.”
I just had to believe, I had to believe,
And soon, my Friend, You came to me.”
Spoken
They rolled back the stone where he was laid, and Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” He that was dead came forth, and they untied him and they set him free.
Chorus
The sorrows of death compassed me.
Floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
The cords of hell compassed me about.
The hooks of death prevented me.
In my distress, I called upon the Lord
And cried unto my God.
He heard my voice out of His temple
My cry came before Him, even unto His ears.
Then the earth shook and trembled,
The foundations of the hills moved also
and were shaken because He was wroth.
He bowed down the heavens, also, ‘
and came down,
and darkness was under His feet.
He rode upon a cherub and did fly,
Yea, did fly upon the wings of the wind.
He shot out His arrows and scattered them.
He sent out lightnings,
and He ripped them apart.
He sent from above,
He took me and drew me out of many waters,
He delivered me from my strong enemy
And from those which hated me
For they were too strong for me;
They prevented me in the day of my calamity,
But the Lord was my Stay.
He brought me forth into His kingdom,
He delivered me because He delighted in me.
Spoken
And behold there was a great earthquake for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone. And the angel said, “Fear not! I know you’ve come to seek Jesus. He’s not here. He’s risen!”
And if that same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you, He’ll quicken your mortal bodies.
And all you do is call on Me
and I’ll be there to set you free.
Chorus