The New Testament speaks a lot of riches, and riches in this world often become the focus of false teachers. The riches of which the Scriptures speak with regard to Christ and His followers, however, are not the silver and gold to which so many cling and in which too many put their hope.

God's patience, tolerance, and kindness toward us are considered "riches" (Rom. 2:4). He has made known the riches of His glory to and through those who have been called (Rom. 9:23). Paul calls salvation itself "riches" (Rom. 10:12-13).

So many passages speak of the riches bestowed upon believers by God:
- the wisdom and knowledge of God (Rom. 11:33)
- His grace (Eph. 1:7)
- we are the riches of His inheritance (Eph. 1:18)
- His grace in kindness (Eph. 2:7)
- being strengthened by the power through His Spirit (Eph. 3:16)
- from His riches, He supplies all our needs (not wants) (Phil. 4:19)
- Christ in us, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27)

Christian, don't be deceived or derailed by the riches of this world. Do not fix your hope on them (1 Tim. 6:17), for you will "fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction" (1 Tim. 6:9).

God is rich toward us in Christ, and these are the riches we should seek after and long for.
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Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions

Evening, August 22

"The unsearchable riches of Christ." Ephesians 3:8

My Master has riches beyond the count of arithmetic, the measurement of reason, the dream of imagination, or the eloquence of words. They are unsearchable! You may look, and study, and weigh, but Jesus is a greater Saviour than you think Him to be when your thoughts are at the greatest. My Lord is more ready to pardon than you to sin, more able to forgive than you to transgress. My Master is more willing to supply your wants than you are to confess them. Never tolerate low thoughts of my Lord Jesus. When you put the crown on His head, you will only crown Him with silver when He deserves gold. My Master has riches of happiness to bestow upon you now. He can make you to lie down in green pastures, and lead you beside still waters. There is no music like the music of His pipe, when He is the Shepherd and you are the sheep, and you lie down at His feet. There is no love like His, neither earth nor heaven can match it. To know Christ and to be found in Him- oh! this is life, this is joy, this is marrow and fatness, wine on the lees well refined. My Master does not treat His servants churlishly; He gives to them as a king giveth to a king; He gives them two heavens- a heaven below in serving Him here, and a heaven above in delighting in Him for ever. His unsearchable riches will be best known in eternity. He will give you on the way to heaven all you need; your place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks, your bread shall be given you, and your waters shall be sure; but it is there, THERE, where you shall hear the song of them that triumph, the shout of them that feast, and shall have a face-to-face view of the glorious and beloved One. The unsearchable riches of Christ! This is the tune for the minstrels of earth, and the song for the harpers of heaven. Lord, teach us more and more of Jesus, and we will tell out the good news to others.

Many today have become enrapt in "contemporary Christian" music which, though may at times be emotionally stirring or make you want to dance and clap, is more often than not shallow, devoid of substance, overly-repetitive, and in many instances, theologically erroneous, and very man-centered. Yet God Himself blessed us with the Psalms that are so rich, so edifying, so full of Himself, and many of which were meant to be sung. The great hymn writers of old followed in David's and the other psalmists' footsteps, penning profound poetry of true praise to God. Let us look to the psalmists who wrote from experience and by inspiration as example for the praises we sing. They will build us up in Him as we do according to Scripture letting "the word of Christ richly dwell within [us], with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in [our] hearts to God" (Colossians 3:16) and "speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with [our hearts] to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:19).
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Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions

Morning, August 20

"The sweet psalmist of Israel." 2 Samuel 23:1

Among all the saints whose lives are recorded in Holy Writ, David possesses an experience of the most striking, varied, and instructive character. In his history we meet with trials and temptations not to be discovered, as a whole, in other saints of ancient times, and hence he is all the more suggestive a type of our Lord. David knew the trials of all ranks and conditions of men. Kings have their troubles, and David wore a crown: the peasant has his cares, and David handled a shepherd's crook: the wanderer has many hardships, and David abode in the caves of Engedi: the captain has his difficulties, and David found the sons of Zeruiah too hard for him. The psalmist was also tried in his friends, his counsellor Ahithophel forsook him, "He that eateth bread with me, hath lifted up his heel against me." His worst foes were they of his own household: his children were his greatest affliction. The temptations of poverty and wealth, of honour and reproach, of health and weakness, all tried their power upon him. He had temptations from without to disturb his peace, and from within to mar his joy. David no sooner escaped from one trial than he fell into another; no sooner emerged from one season of despondency and alarm, than he was again brought into the lowest depths, and all God's waves and billows rolled over him. It is probably from this cause that David's psalms are so universally the delight of experienced Christians. Whatever our frame of mind, whether ecstasy or depression, David has exactly described our emotions. He was an able master of the human heart, because he had been tutored in the best of all schools- the school of heart-felt, personal experience. As we are instructed in the same school, as we grow matured in grace and in years, we increasingly appreciate David's psalms, and find them to be "green pastures." My soul, let David's experience cheer and counsel thee this day.

Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions

Evening, August 11

"Everlasting consolation." 2 Thessalonians 2:16

"Consolation." There is music in the word: like David's harp, it charms away the evil spirit of melancholy. It was a distinguished honour to Barnabas to be called "the son of consolation"; nay, it is one of the illustrious names of a greater than Barnabas, for the Lord Jesus is "the consolation of Israel." "Everlasting consolation"- here is the cream of all, for the eternity of comfort is the crown and glory of it. What is this "everlasting consolation"? It includes a sense of pardoned sin. A Christian man has received in his heart the witness of the Spirit that his iniquities are put away like a cloud, and his transgressions like a thick cloud. If sin be pardoned, is not that an everlasting consolation? Next, the Lord gives His people an abiding sense of acceptance in Christ. The Christian knows that God looks upon him as standing in union with Jesus. Union to the risen Lord is a consolation of the most abiding order; it is, in fact, everlasting. Let sickness prostrate us, have we not seen hundreds of believers as happy in the weakness of disease as they would have been in the strength of hale and blooming health? Let death's arrows pierce us to the heart, our comfort dies not, for have not our ears full often heard the songs of saints as they have rejoiced because the living love of God was shed abroad in their hearts in dying moments? Yes, a sense of acceptance in the Beloved is an everlasting consolation. Moreover, the Christian has a conviction of his security. God has promised to save those who trust in Christ: the Christian does trust in Christ, and he believes that God will be as good as His word, and will save him. He feels that he is safe by virtue of his being bound up with the person and work of Jesus.

The U.S. Army Blues jazz ensemble performed for the Franconia Nights Summer Concert Series at Lee District Park the songs The Queen Bee, True North, Freedom, Hope and Regret, and featured vocalist SSG Melinda Rodriguez on I'm Hip, I've Got the World on a String, Day Dream, If I Could Fly, the Armed Forces Salute, and What a Little Moonlight Can Do. #ArmyBlues #Army250 #ArmyBand #BigBand #JazzEnsemble #JazzBand #Jazz #ArmyMusic #MilitaryMusic #LeeDistrictPark #Fairfax #Virginia #Music

Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions

Morning, August 1

"Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn." Ruth 2:2

Downcast and troubled Christian, come and glean today in the broad field of promise. Here are abundance of precious promises, which exactly meet thy wants. Take this one: "He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax." Doth not that suit thy case? A reed, helpless, insignificant, and weak, a bruised reed, out of which no music can come; weaker than weakness itself; a reed, and that reed bruised, yet, He will not break thee; but on the contrary, will restore and strengthen thee. Thou art like the smoking flax: no light, no warmth, can come from thee; but He will not quench thee; He will blow with His sweet breath of mercy till He fans thee to a flame. Wouldst thou glean another ear? "Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." What soft words! Thy heart is tender, and the Master knows it, and therefore He speaketh so gently to thee. Wilt thou not obey Him, and come to Him even now? Take another ear of corn: "Fear not, thou worm Jacob, I will help thee, saith the Lord and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel." How canst thou fear with such a wonderful assurance as this? Thou mayest gather ten thousand such golden ears as these! "I have blotted out thy sins like a cloud, and like a thick cloud thy transgressions." Or this, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Or this, "The Spirit and the Bride say, Come, and let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely." Our Master's field is very rich; behold the handfuls. See, there they lie before thee, poor timid believer! Gather them up, make them thine own, for Jesus bids thee take them. Be not afraid, only believe! Grasp these sweet promises, thresh them out by meditation and feed on them with joy.

Spurgeon's Morning and Evening Devotions

Evening, July 31

"And these are the singers... they were employed in that work day and night." 1 Chronicles 9:33

Well was it so ordered in the temple that the sacred chant never ceased: for evermore did the singers praise the Lord, whose mercy endureth for ever. As mercy did not cease to rule either by day or by night, so neither did music hush its holy ministry. My heart, there is a lesson sweetly taught to thee in the ceaseless song of Zion's temple, thou too art a constant debtor, and see thou to it that thy gratitude, like charity, never faileth. God's praise is constant in heaven, which is to be thy final dwelling-place, learn thou to practise the eternal hallelujah. Around the earth as the sun scatters his light, his beams awaken grateful believers to tune their morning hymn, so that by the priesthood of the saints perpetual praise is kept up at all hours, they swathe our globe in a mantle of thanksgiving, and girdle it with a golden belt of song.

The Lord always deserves to be praised for what He is in Himself, for His works of creation and providence, for His goodness towards His creatures, and especially for the transcendent act of redemption, and all the marvellous blessing flowing therefrom. It is always beneficial to praise the Lord; it cheers the day and brightens the night; it lightens toil and softens sorrow; and over earthly gladness it sheds a sanctifying radiance which makes it less liable to blind us with its glare. Have we not something to sing about at this moment? Can we not weave a song out of our present joys, or our past deliverances, or our future hopes? Earth yields her summer fruits: the hay is housed, the golden grain invites the sickle, and the sun tarrying long to shine upon a fruitful earth, shortens the interval of shade that we may lengthen the hours of devout worship. By the love of Jesus, let us be stirred up to close the day with a psalm of sanctified gladness.

Deaths of famous poeple they say come in three’s; Ozzie Osborne, Hulk Hogan, and jazz musician Chuck Magione.

I learned how to read and enjoy both in school, any I have a wonderful family that LOVES to sing, and play on the Anderson side! Also, I LOVE and FEEL the music!

Musical Muse
https://terrylclark.substack.com/p/musical-muse?publication_id=934525&post_id=167047826&isFreemail=false&r=1maoyr&triedRedirect=true&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

The U.S. Army Blues jazz ensemble performed at the Belmont Bay Marina in Woodbridge, Virginia the songs True North, Snow Angel, Freedom, Level Up, the Thad Jones arrangement All of Me, and featured vocalist SSG Melinda Rodriguez on What a Little Moonlight Can Do, I'm Hip, If I Could Fly, and the Armed Forces Salute. #ArmyBlues #Army250 #ArmyBand #BigBand #JazzEnsemble #JazzBand #Jazz #ArmyMusic #MilitaryMusic #BelmontBay #Woodbridge #Virginia #Music

The Prince William Community Band performed the works of Harry L. Alford, Leonard Bernstein, John Philip Sousa, Robert Thurston, Frederick Loewe, and Paul Hindemith at The 2025 Prince William Community Band Festival, and featured the clarinetists for Clarinet Polka by Karol Namyslowski & seven tubists playing a Jack Tilbury arrangement of Solo Pomposo by Al Hayes; Jack Tilbury, John Cznadel & Robert Thurston, conducting. #PrinceWilliam #CommunityBand #PWCBF2025 #PWCBF #PWCB #BandMusic #Band #Manassas #Virginia #Music

The Herndon Regional Wind Ensemble performed the works of John Williams, Robert Sheldon, Claude T. Smith, Rossano Galante, and the Jack Stamp arrangement of The Star-Spangled Banner at The 2025 Prince William Community Band Festival; Dr. Lawrence Walker, conducting. #Herndon #WindEnsemble #HRWE #BandMusic #Band #PrinceWilliam #CommunityBand #PWCBF2025 #PWCBF #PWCB #Manassas #Virginia #Music

The Quin Winds performed Blazing Saddles by John Morris & Mel Brooks, What a Wonderful World by Bob Thiele & George David Weis, Ashokan Farewell by Jay Ungar, and the theme from Pirates of the Caribbean by Klaus Badelt at The 2025 Prince William Community Band Festival. #QuinWinds #PrinceWilliam #CommunityBand #PWCBF2025 #PWCBF #PWCB #Band #Manassas #Virginia #Music

The Dunbar Sax Quartet performed the George M. Cohan Medley by Paul Nagle, Alexander’s Ragtime Band by Irving Berlin, and Fascinating Rhythm by George Gershwin at The 2025 Prince William Community Band Festival. #DunbarSaxQuartet #Saxophone #PrinceWilliam #CommunityBand #PWCBF2025 #PWCBF #PWCB #Band #Manassas #Virginia #Music

The Prince William Horns opened The 2025 Prince William Community Band Festival at the Loy E. Harris Pavilion in Manassas, Virginia with a performance of Millennium Fanfare by Madeline A. Lee and the theme from Jurassic Park by John Williams. #PrinceWilliamHorns #Horns #PrinceWilliam #CommunityBand #PWCBF2025 #PWCBF #PWCB #Band #Manassas #Virginia #Music

Sorry to hear of the passing of Brian Wilson, the founder of The Beach Boys. I used to listen to The Beach Boys a lot in my younger days before God saved me. Around the 70’s, l gave up listening to rock, pop, soul, and R&B music. And l don’t regret a minute of it.
My hope is that Brian knew Jesus before he passed. He suffered bad from dementia over the last year of his life. If you don’t know Jesus, turn to Him now while you can. Read these scriptures:

““Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.”
‭‭John‬ ‭5‬:‭24‬-‭25‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

May 29 - Bing Crosby Records "White Christmas"
The Unifying Power of Music
https://christiandevotionals.substack.com/p/may-29-bing-crosby-records-white-christmas-1942

Josh Turner - Everything Is Fine (Official Music Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlOjsJ4pCDY

Your Saturday Southern Music Break - Newly Retired
I, for one, miss him already!
https://www.southernnation.org/p/your-saturday-southern-music-break-b1a?r=35xajq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

The U.S. Army Concert Band and soloists played Henry Fillmore's Rolling Thunder for the encore at The U.S. Army Band 2025 American Trombone Workshop. #RollingThunder #Encore #ArmyBand #ConcertBand #Band #TUSAB #ArmyMusic #MilitaryMusic #Trombone #ATW2025 #ATW #Music

The U.S. Army Concert Band accompanied trombonist Gracie Potter for a performance of Colors by Bert Appermont at The U.S. Army Band 2025 American Trombone Workshop; COL Bruce R. Pulver, conducting. #DetroitSymphony #DSOLive #DSO #ArmyBand #ConcertBand #Band #TUSAB #ArmyMusic #MilitaryMusic #Trombone #ATW2025 #ATW #Music

The U.S. Army Concert Band accompanied trombonist Ron Wilkins for a performance of RONCERTO by Ethan Gurwitz at The U.S. Army Band 2025 American Trombone Workshop; LTC Randy Bartel, conducting. #RonWilkins #NewYork #ArmyBand #ConcertBand #Band #TUSAB #ArmyMusic #MilitaryMusic #Trombone #ATW2025 #ATW #Music

The U.S. Army Concert Band accompanied MSG Sam Woodhead for a performance of Trombone Concerto No. 1: The Journey by Frank Gulino at The U.S. Army Band 2025 American Trombone Workshop; CPT Lee Lamb, conducting. #ArmyBand #ConcertBand #Band #TUSAB #ArmyMusic #MilitaryMusic #Trombone #ATW2025 #ATW #Music

The U.S. Army Orchestra accompanied trombonist Brett Baker for a performance of the Trombone Concerto, Op. 114 by Derek Bourgeois at The U.S. Army Band 2025 American Trombone Workshop; COL Bruce R. Pulver, conducting. #CoryBand #PoultonLeFyldeBand #ArmyOrchestra #Orchestra #ArmyMusic #MilitaryMusic #Trombone #ATW2025 #ATW #Music