Keep Jesus at the Center of Your Life

An Ohio native, Marty attended Mount Vernon Nazarene College where his pitching lead MVNC to their first ever NAIA World Series. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 1997.

At an early age, I had to learn to rely on the Lord when my earthly father chose not to be a part of my life. I learned from this experience that Jesus Christ needs to be in the center of my life if I am to deal with situations out of my control. Scripture tells us to "be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6).

So many times we find ourselves trying to deal with things that should be turned over to God! In order to be able to lean on God we must first admit that we are sinners and fall short of God's perfect standard. The Bible puts it this way, "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:22, 23). After realizing our sinfulness, we must then ask God for forgiveness and place our faith for salvation in Jesus Christ alone and receive Him as our personal savior. After this commitment is made, life will still be challenging and disappointing at times. But having Christ in your life will enable you to see these situations in a different light. God will use your situations to strengthen you, build your faith, and impact the lives of others who need to know His love and forgiveness.

"I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the places of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is no other" (Isaiah 45:5-7).