Wednesday June 25, 2025 – What is our “normal”?

Posted on June 25, 2025 by Don Schmidt

I Thessalonians 5:16-18   Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens.  This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live. (The Message)

It’s been a bit frustrating as I’ve grown older to lose some of my sense of smell.  I particularly notice it when it comes to sweeter more subtle fragrances – like perfume on Donna or food cooking.  Likewise my hearing isn’t what it used to be (what an understatement) and I miss things – though in the middle of the night, it’s not so bad.  Praise God for hearing aids.  They do wonders.  When people speak softly, I can push a button and the volume increases.

I think these physical phenomena are similar to how we live each day and how we respond to what goes on around us.  We have deficiencies and God wants to fix them.  These verses talk about being cheerful; praying all the time and being thankful.  This is how God intends us to live.  This is being normal.  God’s plan is for these attributes to become second nature to us; they are to become who we are.  Unfortunately, they can be diminished just like my sense of smell and hearing are.

The verses go further – we are to be cheerful no matter what!  We are to be thankful no matter what happens!  We are to pray through it all – meaning that our focus is upon the Lord.  There is to be constancy in our lives that is reflective of the wonder of our God and His goodness that overrides everything – no matter what!  But it’s easier to be cheerful and thankful when things are going well than when they aren’t.

How often do we hear of a close friend who has died; or that someone very dear to us is unexpectedly having surgery for cancer; or that a contentious situation unexpectedly arises that has to be dealt with by those close to us; – and this is all on top of the stuff we are already dealing with.  This is part of life.

Fortunately, God has made gratefulness and focusing upon Him to be like an artesian spring within Donna and me – they are always there, flowing.  They’ve become normal.  The wonder and blessing of their genuineness never ceases to amaze us.  We experience the joy that comes from the utter confidence that we and those we love are not helpless or alone; that we have a God who adores us!  Through tears and pain, the joy and gratitude are there.  All of these difficult situations just cause us to embrace Him all the more – they push us into Him.  We don’t have to understand – we have Him.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Tuesday June 24, 2025 – God’s miraculous provision: It was $1 more than we had!

Posted on June 24, 2025 by Don Schmidt

Philippians 4:19  And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Donna and I were married in the fall of 1970 right after I graduated from Michigan State.  That next January we were involved in a coffee-house street ministry called The Master’s House in downtown Lansing, MI.  We were open evenings and late into the night.  While we had no salary, we were provided with a little 2 bedroom home across from the Oldsmobile forge plant on the west side of town.  We got to pray everything else in and were so blessed by God’s provision.

We went an extended period where we had no money – not a dime.  Groceries, gas, everything was provided – just no money.  One evening Judy Potter, a college friend who was helping with the ministry, came up to me and said with a little embarrassment that the Lord had told her to give us $1 – not $5 or $10 – just $1.  I grinned and took the dollar and placed it in my shirt pocket and told her it was $1 more than I had.

Later that evening another helper came and asked if we could give him a ride home when we closed.  He lived on the south end of Lansing.  I was a bit concerned because we were low on gas but I agreed to take him home.  Our old Ford had about 8 gallons below empty and we had been on the empty mark for a couple of days.

After dropping him off after midnight, we were near home when we had to stop at a railroad crossing for a train.  I no sooner stopped when I ran out of gas.  But much to my relief, next to us was a police car!  I got out and went over and asked them to call AAA.  Fortunately, at Christmas we had been given a AAA membership.

The officers pulled behind us with their lights on and we waited.  When the AAA guy arrived, he didn’t say a word but he took a 5 gallon gas can, poured it in my car and then walked up to me and his first words were, “That will be $1.”  (Gas cost 19.9 cents/gallon.)  I took the $1 out of my shirt pocket – the only dollar that I had – and handed it to him.  We rejoiced all the way home!

Our friend didn’t give us $5 or $10 but she sensed the Lord said to give just $1 – the exact amount we would need.  Here 50+ years later I continue to be thrilled by the amazing power of this experience with God.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Monday June 23, 2025 – A “more excellent way”

Posted on June 23, 2025 by Don Schmidt

Proverbs 3:3-4  Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

Love and faithfulness – what marvelous attributes these are!  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every Christian was primarily characterized by these?

Consider the contrast by viewing verse 4 in two different ways.  On the one hand, verse 4 becomes the question, “What can I do to win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man?”  This is an entirely appropriate question and desire.  The Lord provides a wonderful answer in verse 3 to accomplish that goal.

But there’s another question that can be asked that reflects a subtle yet significant difference in motivation.  “Lord, what things are important to You that should characterize my life?”  Love and faithfulness (verse 3) is an answer to that question and verse 4 becomes the result of living such a life.

In both scenarios, the obedient Christian will live a life expressing love and faithfulness.  This results in favor and a good name.  But I think the motivation of the second question expresses a “more excellent way”.  The distinction is that the goal is not winning favor and having a good name, but living a life that expresses love for God – that will glorify Him.

This all speaks to the issue of “why”.  Why do we do what we do?  What is our motivation?  Do we do things to get blessed?  Or, do we do things to express our love for Him and one another – and blessings are the fruit?

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Sunday June 22, 2025 – A very helpful illustration

Posted on June 22, 2025 by Don Schmidt

Romans 13:10  Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Over the years I have been greatly helped by focusing on the importance of biblical love.  Love always takes priority.  While we are free in Christ, our freedom is always constrained by love.  It is to be a guiding principle in our lives.

While scripture gives us many ‘dos and don’ts’, love should not be primarily viewed that way.  A helpful illustration comes from raising children.   Donna and I had the good fortune to receive wonderful teaching on raising children right after our marriage.  One of the most essential things we learned was to focus on the principle of obedience and disobedience.

Our sons were taught to obey what we told them to do – that disobedience brought discipline.  For instance, if one boy hit the other, he was not disciplined for ‘hitting’ his brother.  He was disciplined for disobedience.  We would take him aside, and say to him, “You have been told not to hit your brother.  Did you obey us?”  He would say no and acknowledge he had disobeyed.   The discipline was never focused on the specific action the child had done.  It was always focused upon the principle of disobedience.

If they broke a window by throwing a ball in the house, they weren’t disciplined for breaking a window.  They were disciplined for disobedience because they knew they had been told not to throw balls in the house.  Lying is disobedience.  Cheating is disobedience.  This idea is huge.  Children learn the principle rather than a big list of dos and don’ts.

Likewise, we must learn the principle of love as defined by scripture (not by our culture).  The more we understand what constitutes love, the greater is our ability to apply it in every circumstance we find ourselves in.  God’s word is so essential to this process.  The more we grow in love, behaving in an ‘unloving’ manner becomes as recognizable and inappropriate for us as disobedience is for children.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Saturday June 21, 2025 – Friendship: Such an opportunity!

Posted on June 21, 2025 by Don Schmidt

John 15:14  You are my friends if you do what I command.

Friends.  Have you ever considered what a broad spectrum that word covers?  People we see and speak to at church, at school or at work.  People we hang around with.  Our neighbors or the people in a small group we’re a part of.  From people we enjoy seeing and being with – to those who are important in our lives – to those we absolutely treasure.

Hopefully, we all have some friendships that are in the ‘treasured’ category.  Typically, we don’t have many and to have even one is beyond a blessing.  Some friendships move into this treasured category because of shared hardship.  One of you, or a couple, was going through a very hard time and you were there with them – or they were there with you.  Praying together, crying together, hurting together – friend letting friend know they are important and loved!  It is a refining process that brings forth a quality and depth of friendship that wouldn’t be there without it.

I never cease to be blessed by the treasured friends Donna and I have who enjoy us as much as we enjoy them.  They love to bless us as much as we love blessing them.  They enjoy being with us as much as we enjoy being with them.  The joy and pleasure we experience when we see that a call or text or email is from them.  They brighten our lives.

This is the nature of the friendship that Jesus offers us.  It’s not just being one of the group.  It is an opportunity – an open door to a relationship that He wants to have with us.  It is not just a theological truth.  It is real – something that He wants to manifest in our lives.  It is the stuff that dreams are made of – dreams that can come true!

Treasured friendships are priceless and Jesus offers each of us the best one we can ever have – a friendship beyond imagining.  All we have to do is love Him.  Thankfully He has given us His commands so that we can know that we do love Him.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Friday June 20, 2025 -His steadfast love

Posted on June 20, 2025 by Don Schmidt

Lamentations 3:25  The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;

This morning as I was considering what I would write, my mind was filled with lots of  stuff.  We have a lot going on and my mind was just cluttered with details and concerns.  As I was trying to focus upon the Lord, the following song began playing in my mind.  Mentally, I stopped and just listened – allowing the words and music to minister to me.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases  – His mercies never come to an end –   They are new every morning – New every morning – Great is thy faithfulness O Lord – Great is thy faithfulness

It’s a lovely song and its impact upon me was significant.  I experienced a settling calm that was like the Lord saying, “Peace – be still.” to the storm in my thoughts.  I thought of how the first rays of dawn dispel the darkness – and the beauty of a sunrise.  The  turbulence in my mind just faded away.  But it was more than just having a sense of peace in my mind so I could better do the task at hand.

It was Him.  It was experiencing Him and His goodness to me.  The peace was and is a blessing – but far greater is the blessing of being captivated by who He is.  Think of the ten lepers who all were healed.  One – a Samaritan – came back to Jesus praising God and he threw himself at Jesus’ feet.  The healing was wonderful but foremost, he had to express his praise to God and his thankfulness to Jesus.

May we all more deeply recognize that our hope is in the Lord.  Today, may we more deliberately look to Him and seek Him in the midst of our daily life.  If we do, we will experience a heightened awareness of His goodness and His presence with us.  The fact that the Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him is not just a theological truth – it is an experiential reality for us to enjoy each day.

Here is a link to this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJbXDoK_AAs

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Thursday June 19, 2025 – “I don’t know what to do with the miracles.”

Posted on June 19, 2025 by Don Schmidt

Romans 1:20  For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

As I’ve noted before, I had a thunderous conversion the fall of my junior year in college.  The next 22 months saw me at retreats, conferences, prayer meetings, mission trips, Bible studies, witnessing and being discipled.  On a side note, I nearly flunked out until I realized that God wasn’t glorified if I did – and that He wanted me to graduate.  That “revelation” – along with meeting and becoming engaged to Donna – enabled me to focus on my studies my last 4 quarters and graduate.

My last quarter at Michigan State in the summer of 1970 brought another experience that continues to move me to this day.  I had opportunities to visit with one of my best professors and talk to him about my becoming a Christian and the many experiences I was having.  He was Jewish and an atheist.

In our discussions he expressed a major concern that he had.  He believed the most important issue in life was to answer the question, “Is there a God?”  Then, if you concluded there was a God, you must discover if that God has any requirements of you.  He had seriously pursued this and concluded, “There was no God.”  But he was very distressed with my peers and so many others that he knew in that they didn’t take this issue seriously.

As we talked about my conversion, my experiences and the miracles I’d seen, he felt he could explain away most of my testimony.  He seemed settled in his conviction that there was no God, except one thing troubled him.  I can remember him looking at me and saying with a serious thoughtfulness, “I don’t know what to do with the miracles.”  I was so blessed that he believed that I was truthful and had truly experienced the miraculous.  Hopefully, the miracles caused him to reconsider the issue and discover Jesus, his messiah.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Wednesday June 18, 2025 – Together with Him in the morning

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Don Schmidt

Psalm 59:16  But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

What a blessing to have our thoughts preoccupied each morning with the strength and the love of God.  Although He loves all mankind, the remarkable thing is His love for you and for me – for each of us individually, not just corporately.  If we are going through difficult times, remember He is our fortress and our refuge.  We are safe with Him.

King Saul was trying to kill him when David wrote this Psalm.  That is likely a bit more difficulty than any of us are encountering now.  Yet David’s hope and trust and confidence were in the Lord.  How much more should the same be true of us.

Most of us have had the privilege of becoming a son or daughter of God, because of His love for us.  We have Jesus.  We have the Holy Spirit within us.  We have God’s word.  We have experienced His love in ways that David never did.  We have been set free from the power of sin – to live for Him.  This Psalm speaks of the wonder of who He is for us.  He wants us to have this knowledge firmly rooted in the depths of our being and growing morning by morning.  No matter what we experience, He is the same – but our awareness of who He is for us will grow and grow.

We recently sang a song during worship that had this chorus:

The more I seek you      The more I find you       The more I find you   The more I love you

The words are so true.  He loves us to seek Him – and to seek Him regularly.  If you don’t think of Him in the morning, particularly when you awake and are getting up, create yourself some visual reminders that will help you to do so.  He will help you.  He wants you to find Him.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Tuesday June 17, 2025 – The wonder of my Blue Sections of Scripture

Posted on June 17, 2025 by Don Schmidt

Psalm 9:1  I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonder.

Have you ever thought of praying scripture?  Years ago I heard a teaching on this idea and it has been a wonderful blessing.  Simply put, you personalize scripture so that the verses express what you want to say.  But more than that, many are the times that I’m not sure how to pray and they give me the words and the guidance – the path to pray.

Among my favorites are the ones I’ve identified as “The Blue Sections”.  (My Bible is kind of highlighted to the hilt!)  I have used a blue highlighter to mark over 30 different sections of scripture that focus upon God and His greatness and wonder.  They are not about us – they do not include requests for help or assistance.  They are declarative about Him.

I frequently found myself at a loss when it came to expressing to God what was in my heart.  I wanted to tell Him how wonderful and glorious He was.  It occurred to me that scripture describes Him more accurately and effectively than I can.  So I searched for those scriptures that did exactly that and marked them in blue.  They run the gamut from entire Psalms to a single verse.  But when I pray them, personalizing them, my heart rejoices because it is accomplishing what it desires.

For instance Psalm 19:1-4 begins ”The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”  When I pray this, I personalize it so it becomes “O Lord, the heavens declare your glory, the skies proclaim the work of your hands!”  By using scripture, my affirmations are rooted in eternal truth.  I know I am expressing reality and my heart is filled with a sense of accomplishing something so important.

It takes me about 25 – 30 minutes to pray through my Blue Section verses out loud.  Frequently, the experience provokes tears of joy and gratitude because it leads to such an intimate experience with God. They help me to praise the Lord with all my heart and tell Him of His wonders!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Monday June 16, 2025 – It takes more than a recipe

Posted on June 16, 2025 by Don Schmidt

James 3:13  Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

Don’t you just love a wonderful meal?  The enjoyment we experience as fragrant aromas fill the air building the anticipation of the delights to come.  The table is well set and the foods presented attractively.  Think of tasting and savoring the first bite of each food and having “On my goodness is this wonderful!” moments.

Then making the meal even more wonderful is the fact that we are sharing it with family or friends.  The tangible satisfaction we experience by being together and enjoying one another’s company.  It’s easy to take that for granted, particularly when it is on a regular basis, but we are blessed by not overlooking it.Many are the times that guests ask for the recipe of a dish Donna has made – and, many are the times when we have asked for a recipe. 

Everybody enjoys good meals.  Good recipes + good ingredients + good preparation + timely presentation = wonderful meal.  This formula is accomplished through intentionality and the development and application of learned skills.  It is not accomplished on a consistent basis by accident.The same is true of a wise and understanding life, filled with good deeds done with humility. 

Such a life requires focus and commitment.  Focus touches on the intentionality while commitment recognizes its daily requirement – like preparing a meal to eat.  It happens multiple times daily.   We must also be concerned with quality.  It is not enough to do good deeds – although the doing of them is important.  Our faith must address the way we do them.  The humility that comes from wisdom is the “seasoning” that sets them apart.

There is such satisfaction and joy to be experienced in both the living of such a life and for those who interact with it.  Isn’t it wonderful to be around those whose lives are described by this verse?  Seek to become like them.  Learn of them.  Ask them for their recipe!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment