Blog Archives - COACH Toby Schwarz

COACH Toby Schwarz

Limit Less!

12/31/2018

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12

We often complain about others or "the system" for keeping us down or preventing us from reaching our full potential. The truth is that we are often the largest limiting factor in our lives. It isn't others who keep us from reaching our potential, it is the limits that we place on ourselves that keeps us down. If you fall into the pressures or discouragement put upon you from others, that is your fault and that is your limitation. When we limit what God can do to us and through us, that is our responsibility and no one else's.

Lord, help me to be more courageous and limit myself and limit You less.

Everyone Is Alive!

12/28/2018

"Do you not know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win." - 1 Corinthians 9:24

Fact: We are all alive. Everyone. Unless you are dead, you are alive.
Fact: We will all die. Unless you know something everyone else doesn't, you will die.
Fact: We all have the opportunity to live after we die. God has made that possible for us all through His Son Jesus.

Lord, thank you that I and everyone I know has the opportunity to win the prize of eternity with you.

Others Aren't Our Enemy!

12/27/2018

"For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens." Ephesians 6:12

Love God and Love Others! It is pretty simple and clear. Hate evil! Also, very simple and clear. Evil doesn't refer to people who don't agree with you or who don't act or look like you or people who annoy you. People may act wrong (in our opinion) but that doesn't make them evil. If that were the case, then we would be evil to them. Our true enemy is against evil and evil is bigger than others but not bigger than God.

Lord, help me to identify the correct opponent so that I may align with You to defeat them.

The Gift That Keeps On Giving!

12/21/2018

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:32-33

Amen!

REsponse-ABLE!

12/20/2018

Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. Isaiah 49:13

God loves us, comforts us and shows compassion to us, regardless of our response. God isn't like us. He doesn't merely act with the motivation of being thanked or for any reciprocation. God is unconditional. But that doesn't mean that we shouldn't respond. We are able to respond, so we should respond.

Lord, help me to shout with joy or at least, acknowledge all that you do for me.

Don't Give Up, Don't Ever Give Up!

12/19/2018

"Therefore we do not give up; even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day." -2 Corinthians 4:16

No one wants to be a quitter. So don't give up.

Lord, help me to realize that no matter how bad things may appear to be, You still love me and You are still in control of my life and You will provide everything I need.

Friendly Reminder!

12/14/2018

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

The last few weeks of the year are full of all kinds of emotions and attitudes. From excitement for a break and time with family and friends to the anxieties that arise from the never ceasing trials of life. As we navigate this time of year and enter into the new year full of resolutions and new goals, may we remember what matters to God. Joy, Prayer and Thankfulness. Not happiness, success or comfort.

Lord, help me to be joyful and realize that the joy comes from praying and being thankful and it is easy to pray and be thankful when I choose to have joy.

Worthy!

12/13/2018

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1

A problem for many is lack of self-confidence. A lack of belief or trust in their ability to accomplish certain acts. Self-confidence is different than self-worth. Our self-worth pertains to how we see our value in the world. Self-confidence is linked to self-worth in that when self-worth is high, it helps to support lower self-confidence. Unfortunately, many people have a hard time with their self-worth. They have a difficult time finding worth in themselves. We only need to look to God. God has chosen to call us His children. Not his employees. Not his servants. Not his property. Not his assets. We are his children. If you have children of your own, you know what that means.

Lord, help me to feel as if I am God's child and all of the worth that comes with that.

Mutually!

12/12/2018

"For I want very much to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, that is, to be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine." Romans 1:11-12

Not a lot of "mutually" going on these days. In a world that is full of divisiveness and selfishness where people seem to be more concerned about themselves over others, most relationships are one sided. This doesn't mean that we are completely selfish and never think of other's needs. It just means that there seems to be more give "or" take in relationships than give "and" take. We are usually on one side or the other. We give and give and give and the other person merely takes. And then there are times that we take and fail to give. Mutually is a much better model of a true relationship.

Lord, thank you for giving me so much and help me to give more back to You, not because I have to in order to earn anything but allow my "giving" to be an act of thankfulness.

Old People are Wise!

12/11/2018

"Likewise, you younger men, be subject to the elders. And all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 1 Peter 5:5

Unfortunately, we look at older folks as being not as smart as we are. After all, they didn't have the internet or colored tv or "smart" phones. Pluto was a planet when they were kids. How silly is that. Unfortunately, we don't see the difference between "wisdom" and "smart". Wisdom is a commodity that most younger people don't have because wisdom comes with time and experience. Wisdom comes with failure and resilience. Wisdom comes with patience and humility.

Lord, help me to seek wisdom from those who have already made the mistakes that I am making but they have already learned from them.