Blog Archives - COACH Toby Schwarz

COACH Toby Schwarz

Substitutes!

3/30/2017

The LORD is my strength and my defense ; he has become my salvation. Psalm 118:14

Money is my strength? Friends are my strength? Accomplishments are my strength? Approval of others is my strength? Achieving my goals is my strength? A comfortable life is my strength? Being "right" is my strength? Another is my strength? I am my strength?

Lord, I am sorry for not going to You only and help me to recognize that there is no substitute for You as my strength, as my defense and as my salvation.

Forgiveness Is For the Forgiver!

3/29/2017

"In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.” Numbers 14:19

Why does God forgive us? We don't deserve forgiveness so why would He do it? Two reasons: He loves us AND He doesn't want to not love us. Forgiveness is more beneficial for the "Forgiver" than the "Forgiven". Sure, the Forgiven is now off the hook. But for the Forgiver, they can now move on and not hold bitterness and a grudge that eats at them from the inside.

Lord, help me to follow Your lead and Your wisdom and learn to forgive as it will benefit me as much as the person I forgive.

Other People Matter!

3/28/2017

remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. James 5:20

And this is why we don't spend all of our time alone and why we don't focus our entire life on our own selfish desires.

Lord, help me to keep my eye on what matters most to You.

You Can't Do It!

3/27/2017

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, Acts 3:19

We want our kids to believe in themselves. We tell them "You can do anything". It is good parenting to encourage our kids. Unfortunately, we fail to see the difference between encouragement and truth sometimes. The truth is that our kids can't do everything. They can surely increase the probability of success by working harder but working hard won't guarantee success. Also, working hard will not save us from our sins.

Lord, thank you for grace and help me to realize that grace alone will save me as long as I am truly repentant.

Home Cooking!

3/24/2017

“Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Joel 2:12-13

Few people will turn down a home cooked meal. Even fewer will turn down a home cooked meal by their parents. For most, coming home brings a great level of comfort and normalcy in an often chaotic world. So much more is the comfort when we come to Jesus.

Lord, thank you for always welcoming me home.

One Thing?!

3/22/2017

One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:4

"If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?" "If you were trapped on a desert island with only one book, what would it be?" "If you were lost in space with only one person, who would you choose" "If you could only have one album on your IPod, what would it be?" These are all fun games we play when we killing time. The "one thing" game is fun but it also tells us a lot about our priorities and what we value.

Lord, help me to truly give your name as the answer to my "one thing" more often.

Follow The Leader!

3/21/2017

Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy. Leviticus 20:8

We can either go it alone or follow the lead of someone who knows more than we do. In life, most of us are arrogant enough to believe that there are few people who know more than we do so we tend to fly solo. However, the wise person realizes that they don't know everything and in regards to God, He always knows better in all things.

Lord, help me to realize that Your leadership is more valuable than my independence.

So TV Was Right!

3/20/2017

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. Psalm 37:8-9

When watching TV while growing up, you could always count on the "good guy's winning". No matter what happened during the episode, the plot would come around to a nice, clean "happy ending".

Lord, thank you that although my life may seem like it is chaotic and going the wrong way, you always clean it up in the end if I choose to have hope in You.

To Our Benefit, Life Isn't Fair!

3/17/2017

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives. If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner! Proverbs 11:30-31

If life were fair, we would deserve eternity separated from God. If life were fair, we would suffer much more than we currently do because of the wrongs we have done. If life were fair, our lives would be much worse off because we receive much more in our favor than we truly deserve or think that we have earned. We need to complain a lot less and be thankful that the scales of cause and effect are actually in our favor.

Lord, thank you for being a God of Love and Grace.

Guilt By Association!

3/16/2017

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, Psalm 1:1

Being around those who do wrong is different than doing wrong with those who do wrong. However, avoiding doing wrong in the company of those who do wrong is easier said than done. It is always easier to swim with the current but it is not always correct to swim with the current.

Lord, help me to realize that when I am with those who make bad choices that I must be on guard and be intentional about making good choices.