Blog Archives - COACH Toby Schwarz

COACH Toby Schwarz

What is The Difference?!

10/31/2017

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

What is the difference between the feelings and emotions that we have while sitting on our couch in front of our TV in the comfort of our own home versus walking in the forest alone in the pitch dark at midnight? It isn't the presence or absence of light. It isn't the familiarity or lack of familiarity with our environment or the cold or the dampness. The difference is the trust. We trust our home environment more than the dark, cold forest. However, if God is with us in both places, then we have no reason to have different levels of trust.

Lord, help me to realize that any fear that I have is self manifested by my lack of trust in You and my lack of awareness that You are always with me.

COMPLETELY Wrong!

10/30/2017

But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats ; do not be frightened.” 1 Peter 3:14

Being "completely" wrong refers to being 100% wrong which means there is absolutely no "right" involved. It is amazing how completely wrong we are when it comes to interpreting the experiences of our lives. We often see something as being entirely bad, when in fact, it is actually the exact opposite when viewed from God's perspective. When we face trials, we see them as completely bad while God sees them as the only way for us to gain endurance and perseverance. We see persecution from doing what is right as something to fear while God sees it as a way to bless us.

Lord, help me to see life through Your eyes and not through my blindness.

AMAZINGLY Graced!

10/27/2017

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! Romans 5:17

We are very flawed. We can't solve that problem. Jesus is not flawed. He can solve our problem.

Lord, thank you for doing for me what I can't do for myself.

PICK ME! PICK ME!

10/26/2017

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

God chose us WAY before we came to the realization that we had an opportunity to choose Him.

Lord, thank you for WANTING me before I even knew that I NEEDED You.

Why Do we Doubt Ourselves so much?!

10/24/2017

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 5:1

We doubt ourselves because we should doubt ourselves. When we have faith in God, we trust that God has a plan. When we trust that God has a plan, we will have peace because we know that His plan is always better than our plan. However, when we rely on our own experience and our own wisdom, we tend to doubt and we are unsettled and worry because we know that although we want to be in control and we think we are capable, we know full well that we are not. We are definitely not as capable as God.

Lord, help me to trust You more so that I may experience more peace.

Promise!

10/23/2017

The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in obedience to him. Deuteronomy 28:9

God will always fulfill His promises. Do I?

Lord, forgive me when I break my promises with You or when I am falsely upset with You because it is probably my fault for breaking my promises with you and not you breaking yours with me.

Want to Get Better?

10/20/2017

Praise the LORD. Blessed are those who fear the LORD, who find great delight in his commands. Psalm 112:1

People say that they "want to get better" but few want to do what it takes to get better. We all want to be better but it is much more fun to win a million dollars in the lottery than to earn a million dollars by going to work 40+ hours a week for years. Athletes say that they "want to get better" but they often find excuses or reasons to not obey the commands that a coach gives them. We say that we "want to get better" but we don't jump for joy when God tells us to do something we don't want to do.

Lord, if I truly desire to get better, please help me to be excited about doing what You want me to do.

See What You Want To See!

10/19/2017

For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 2 Peter 1:16

A typical criticism for the belief in certain things is that "we see what we want to see". The notion is that if you are looking for something to confirm what you already believe, then you will see it. Yes. That is true. So if you want to see God and how He is working in your life, look for how He is working in your life.

Lord, help me to be observant and aware of Your consistent presence in my daily life.

We Know The Answer!

10/18/2017

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:11

Why isn't life going the way I want it to go? Why am I struggling so much? Why doesn't it seem that everything or everyone is against me? Why? And what do I need to do to fix it? The answer is generally a fairly simple answer. However, the answer may either not be the answer we want to hear because we want something more dramatic or tangible to the situation or we simply forgot the answer.

Lord, thank you for being the answer to most of my questions.

Restrictions!

10/17/2017

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8

You can't be both first and last. You can't be both the beginning and the end. You can't be both here and there. You can't be everywhere and all things ... but God can.

Lord, I am sorry for putting limits on You because I have limits myself.