Blog Archives - COACH Toby Schwarz

COACH Toby Schwarz

Many Will Be Against Us!

1/31/2017

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

Many can and will be against us. We can't please everyone and honestly, we should not attempt to please everyone. If our goal in life is to please everyone, we most likely will do things that we shouldn't do and say things that we shouldn't say. If we are truly honest with ourselves and others, we will upset others and by human nature, those who we disagree with us will choose to be against us. God will always be for us if we choose Him and we should also love others, despite their choice to be against us.

Lord, help me to love others and regardless of their choice, thank you for always loving me.

Boiling Frog!

1/30/2017

“The LORD is my strength and my defense ; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. Exodus 15:2

You have heard it before. "Put a frog in a pot of water and slowly bring the water to a boil and the frog will die as they won't recognize the increase in temperature. In contrast, put a frog in a boiling pot of water and the frog jumps out." The analogy is used to describe the dangers of slow change that is unrecognizable. However, what happens if the pot is so deep that the frog can't jump out? What happens if the frog continues to jump and jump and jump and never reaches the lip of the pot? I think we all know what happens. It is the same thing that happens to us when we find ourselves in a situation that we know we need to get out of and we attempt to get out of it on our own strength instead of seeking God's strength.

Lord, please keep me from attempting to jump out of my troubles with my own strength and ability and ideas and knowledge but instead seek Your divine strength and wisdom.

Why Do We Fear?!

1/27/2017

Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the LORD will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.” Joshua 10:25

We fear when the outcome is uncertain. We fear because we either lack trust in our own ability (given by God) or we lack trust in the ability of God to know the outcome and take care of us regardless of that outcome. When we truly trust God, fear is unreasonable.

Lord, thank you that I am able to trust you and no longer fear.

Standing In The Rain Will Get You Wet!

1/26/2017

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8

Few people will stand out in the rain with no jacket or hat or umbrella. Most people will even avoid being out in the rain all together. Standing out in the rain with no protection or shelter is not wise when either are an option. Unfortunately, we aren't as wise when it comes to standing out in the midst of a trial or struggle in our lives. We tend to wait for someone to put an umbrella over our head or build a shelter around us instead of making the effort and making the choice to find refuge in God.

Lord, thank you for providing me with the tools I need and please give me the wisdom to get out of the rain.

Scarcity!

1/25/2017

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, Ephesians 3:16

Due to our own human limits, we tend to look at most areas of life in terms of a pie chart. There is a specific amount and that amount can be divided into parts but once the volume is all accounted for, there is no more. We unfortunately view life in terms of "if I don't have it then someone else does" or "in order to get it I need to take it away from someone else". It has to come from somewhere, doesn't it? In terms of God, his resources are endless. God does not suffer from Scarcity. If the pie is consumed, He bakes another pie. Resources are not scarce to God. Power and strength are merely two resources that God has in abundance and is more than pleased to provide to us.

Lord, thank you that you have no limits and desire to share your riches with me.

MORE!

1/24/2017

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Isaiah 40:29

We tend to be greedy and always want more. More money. More fame. More encouragement. More love. More time. More anything. More everything. We spend a lot of time and effort to acquire more of many different things. God has promised to provide us with more of certain things and all we need to do is ask.

Lord, please give me more strength when I am weak.

Where Does It Come From?!

1/23/2017

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

God doesn't just give us everything that we want or everything that we need but he gives us everything that we currently have. Any strength we have is His. He has given it to us already. The issue is not "when will he give it to us" or "if he will give it to us" but whether we will recognize that we are functioning with God's power and not our own. We often walk around as if we are powered by a AAA battery, when we are actually already plugged in to Hoover Dam.

Lord, thank you for giving me the strength I need and help me to realize it is there.

Hopeful Hope!

1/20/2017

You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. Psalm 119:114

Hope is not a wish when you Hope in God.

Lord, thank you for being a God who follows through on promises so that I may have genuine hope.

Deer Feet!

1/19/2017

The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. Habakkuk 3:19

Hinds are female deer that live in the mountains and are able to replace their front feet with their back feet when they are running extremely fast. Hinds don't worry about the terrain. They run with no fear as they are confident that their footing will always be sure.

Lord, may I have the confidence that you will always keep my feet on a firm foundation as I trust you fully and move full steam ahead.

Stick With The Plan!

1/18/2017

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

God's plan is not our plan. God's plan is much better than our plan. God's plan may not give us short term happiness that we seek but it will give us the long term joy and fulfillment that we desire.

Lord, thank you for having a plan and for that plan to be better than my plan. Help me to trust the plan.