Blog Archives - COACH Toby Schwarz

COACH Toby Schwarz

Are You a Prisoner?!

9/30/2020

“ABOUT MIDNIGHT PAUL AND SILAS WERE PRAYING AND SINGING HYMNS TO GOD, AND THE PRISONERS WERE LISTENING TO THEM, AND SUDDENLY THERE WAS A GREAT EARTHQUAKE, SO THAT THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE PRISON WERE SHAKEN. AND IMMEDIATELY ALL THE DOORS WERE OPENED, AND EVERYONE’S BONDS WERE UNFASTENED.” ACTS 16:25-26

There are a lot of ways to respond to being in prison. We can wait it out. We can complain. We can act out and possibly spend even more time in prison. We can make the most use of our time. We can pray and maybe, just maybe, we will be released early. We all have felt as if we were "prisoners" at some time in our lives. We find ourselves in a position that we haven't chosen and a situation that we can't escape. God is always there and he often has the key to our release.

Lord, help me to pray more than complaining.

Perspective!

9/29/2020

“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshipped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.” Job 1:20-22

We tend to look at what we have lost instead of what we have gained.

Lord, thank You for all that I have and all especially for all that I have that I don't deserve.

Through, Not With!

9/23/2020

"I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

We can't do our own thing when we have to go "through" something. When we are "with" something, we can take that something or someone along with us. Through requires a lot less selfishness and more collaboration. That is why this verse mentions "through" instead of "with". If it were with, then we would think we can do anything we want. Through narrows the list down to things that God wants.

Lord, help me to do what You want and not what I want.

Life Is Not Golf!

9/22/2020

“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so that you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will be standing firm.” Ephesians 6:13

"How did THAT happen?" This is a common phrase that we utter when something unfortunate occurs in our life. We are often caught off guard by life's challenges. The truth is that we shouldn't be caught off guard as much as we are. God is clear. Life is hard. And life does not only contain obstacles that lay in our path, but also adversaries. We aren't playing golf where it is "us against the course". We are playing a full contact sport where there is an opponent that wants to beat us.

Lord, help me to be aware and prepared.

Have Faith!

9/21/2020

“…truly I tell you if you have faith like a grain of a mustard seed you could say to this mountain move from here to there and it will move nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

It is amazing what we can accomplish with God through faith.

Lord, help me to choose faith.

Confidence!

9/18/2020

“We have this kind of confidence toward God through Christ. It is not that we are competent in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our competence is from God. He has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit produces life.” 2 Corinthians 3:4-6

Competence and thus confidence from God.

Lord, thank You that I don't need to accomplish anything on my own to have confidence because confidence comes from the competence You have given me.

Keep The Faith!

9/17/2020

"Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen." Hebrews 11:1

We need faith in times when we can't prove that we should have faith.

Lord, help me to have faith today.

Compelling!

9/16/2020

“For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

We don't like to be forced to do anything. We prefer to make our own choices. But sometimes, the argument is so clear that there really isn't a choice and we are forced to select only one conclusion. God is such a conclusion. When given God and anything else, we should be compelled to choose God.

Lord, thank you for the sacrifice of your Son, Jesus, and help me to see how that act of love should lead me to only one conclusion, to follow You.

You Are Useful!

9/15/2020

“May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight. Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me.” Psalm 119:174-176

Everyone experiences moments in their lives when they don't feel very useful. For those who value productivity, when we are sick or tired or forced to miss work, our value is diminished. We are always useful in God's eyes. Therefore, we are always valued.

Lord, help me to value what You value.

Obedience School!

9/14/2020

"Endure it as discipline; God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there whom a father does not discipline?" Hebrews 12:7b

Dogs naturally do what they want to do. It is fine until people own a dog. Dogs naturally don't do what people want them to do. People want dogs to poop outside and only eat/chew things that the owner want them to eat and chew. Yelling at the dog doesn't train the dog. Discipline does. Lots of dogs attend "obedience school". Lots of people do too. It is called "life".

Lord, help me to realize that You discipline me not to punish me but to teach me. Help me to learn.