Blog Archives - COACH Toby Schwarz

COACH Toby Schwarz

Every Day is not Everyday!

2/28/2020

"Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life.” - Psalm 39:4

"Everyday" refers to something "ordinary". While "every day" refers to "each day". Every day should not be ordinary. Every day is special and unique and valuable. We don't have very many days so we shouldn't make every day ... everyday.

Lord, help me to see the value in each day that I have.

Living!

2/27/2020

"The life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God." Galatians 2:20

What is living? Living is not a pulse or the period of time between two dates ... your birth and death. Living is more about "how" than "how long". Living is more about "what" than "when".

Lord, help me to be more than a pulse and help me to get the most out of my life by living for You and for others.

Showed Love vs. Said Love!

2/26/2020

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

Showed love has more of a long term impact than said love.

Lord, help me to show love more often.

Be Careful ...

2/25/2020

"Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing." James 1:2-4

Be careful what you ask for. Most things aren't free. They come with a cost. Patience, for example, is an attribute that only comes from having to practice patience. So don't ask for patience unless you are prepared to go through some trying times. Reaching your full potential only comes from experiencing challenges and persevering through them. As with most things, however, the investment is worth the cost.

Lord, give me the strength that is required to go through what I need to go through to achieve my full potential.

Forbearance!

2/24/2020

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23

I may not do them but I at least know what love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control refer to. But forbearance? Not a typical word I will use throughout the day. Forbearance refers to restraint. Refraining from doing something. Our human nature encourages us to do things we shouldn't. Restraint helps us from doing those things.

Lord, help me to demonstrate all of the fruits of the spirit, including restraint.

All Out!

2/21/2020

"Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men." - Colossians 3:23

When I think of enthusiasm, I think of going all out, not holding back, full effort, both feet on the gas pedal and nowhere near the break.

Lord, help me to go all out for You and also for the things I care about.

Drastic Changes!

2/20/2020

Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and the incense altars that were above them he chopped down. The Asherah poles, the carved images, and the cast images he shattered, crushed to dust, and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 2 Chronicles 34:4

Change is often difficult. Changing habits and lifestyle is typically more difficult because of the old routines and embedded thoughts and actions that are hard to break. Small disruptions in those routines will usually leave the door open to those old, unwanted behaviors to return. Sometimes we need to go big and be drastic with our change. As Cortex once famously demonstrated when he burned the ships so that the only option for his crew was to move forward into uncharted jungles, we must burn our own "ships" and leave us with only one option, moving forward.

Lord, help me to be bold enough to make drastic changes so that I may change drastically.

How Do We Know?!

2/19/2020

He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.” Mark 9:35

How do we know whether we are serving? When the answer is "not me" to the question "who benefits from my action?" And when the answer is "others and God", then we are truly serving.

Lord, help me to realize that my actions shouldn't always be about me and what I have to gain.

Ease and Easier!

2/18/2020

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

Not only will God protect us, He will also help us.

Lord, thank you for not only easing my fears but helping me to make things easier.

Self-Confidence!

2/13/2020

Then I said, “But Lord God, I don’t know how to speak. I am only a boy. “But the Lord said to me, “Don’t say, ‘I am only a boy.’ You must go everywhere I send you, and you must say everything I tell you to say. Don’t be afraid of anyone, because I am with you to protect you,” says the Lord. Jeremiah 1:6-8

Belief in our own ability can be either our most important strength (if we believe in ourselves) or largest fault (if we don't believe in ourselves). It is difficult to always believe that we have the ability or capability to accomplish certain tasks. Doubt creeps in. Past failures come to mind. However, if we believe that our talents and abilities are not our own, but they are truly a gift from God, then self-confidence should be the only option.

Lord, thank you that I am not doing any of this on my own.