Everything I Need?

Psalms 23:1, "The lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need."
Christ said of Himself that He is the good Shepherd. I can now join King David and say that He is truely my Shepherd.
I could have said that for many years now, but to believe that because He is my Shepherd I have all I need is a huge and overwhelming thought.
Is it really everything?  It sounds too good to be true.
However, the Holy Spirit gently repeated Christ's question, "do you believe this?"
Either I do believe or I don't. I can't be half way or unsure. Those are counted as unbelief by God.
With a pounding heart I chose to believe. I do have everything I need. I let the thought and truth sink in and penetrate my entire being.
"Teach me Lord to always rest in the fact that I have everything I need. May I never doubt You."
And as the days and weeks followed that moment, when the world's reality hit me hard, I clung to that truth with the repeated request,
"teach me Lord, keep me focus on You."
God has been faithful to keep me. Christ has been faithful to teach me. Holy Spirit has been faithful to guide me.
Do you believe this? Or you still want to walk your doubtful path.
Believe Christ today.

Excuses! Excuses!

It is amazing how much I see and hear excuses from people concerning God and His requirements for life. The  self justification using excuses is real and abundant. The excuses are also used to judge others, while at the same time, taking offense if others judge them. It saddens me to see so many people caught up in this.
How many times have I heard " lot a hypocrites deh da church" hence they don't want to go to church. Or they list what they don't like about the church or Christians and even God.
This bothered me so much. How else will they learn about God and living for Him?
It angered me when they go further and make fun of who God is based on their knowledge of Him from wrong teaching, and based on their experiences with the church.
I cannot deny the fact that the body of Christ has misrepresented Him over the years. That in itself frustrated me. It did come to a point where I was ashamed to hold my head up as a Christian because of all the accusing excusing darts fired my direction.
I remain a Christian however, because I was convinced that God’s way is the right way. I just didn't understand a lot of things and had problems myself with a lot of things, and I didn't know how to deal with the accusing excuses.
Then, God showed me that His offer is Himself. He showed me that I was missing where my focus should be-Him. He started to teach me, and correct me, restore me. I was able to face my personal 'problems' with God and truely seeing 'living for God' how He sees it.
I am now learning to meet His expectations of living for Him and living for Him His way. By His grace I am also learning to let go of my thinking and my knowledge, and my doctrine and my rules for me, and holding on to His.
I am now free of my own excuses. My shame to be a Christian is gone. I am proud to be associated with Christ by those around me. I am grateful and proud to belong to Christ.
But, most of all, I am confident and glad that I can share who God is based on what He says He is. Based on His word. I no longer shrink back.
The excuses will seem to justify you now, and you might enjoy pushing a Christian buttons by disrespecting God, but He will see that as your actions and hold you accountable. Also, you will answer to Him.
I challenge you, if you haven't already, to get your life right with God. Riding on the excuses will be useless when you have to answer to Him. He sees all and knows all. And while you might be able to fool the Christian you are torturing,  you cannot fool Him.
In Matthew 16:24, Jesus said, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."