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."

Is being a Christian being Christ -like?

Recently, I have been reflecting a lot on my life as a Christian, and what all God has had to correct in my mind and heart the pass couple years. This road has been enlightening, challenging, difficult, painful, yet rewarding, peaceful and restful. Mega oxymoron right?
When I first gave my life to God, I became His child. I also became what is known as a Christian. I was told I must now live for God. This included reading my bible, going to church, being active in the church, praying a lot, and anything else my church fellowship said was the 'Christian' thing to do. In essence,  it was a "do this" "don't do that" kind of instructions. I became quite good at it.
However,  Christ did not call us to that. I am realizing now that being born again/becoming a Christian, was the first step. And, unfortunately, what should come after, was not really what I was told.
The second step is following Christ. Not a church denomination; or just making sure I pray everyday and read my bible; or making sure I meet all the imposed requirements from 'the church' so I am regarded as a 'good Christian' or truely born again, but Christ.
I must, immediately after my new birth, start following Christ and meeting His requirements daily to follow Him. This has been absent from my life for years.
See, I am realizing that there are more than one interpretation of 'following Christ'. There is Christ's interpretation, and then there are all the rest.
Since we should be following Christ, shouldn't we go by His interpretation? If not, then I think we will miss what He really means by following Him. We will also miss out on what He offers.
Christ offers Himself. If we have Him, we have everything, because He is the source. He offered Himself on the cross, but we will only reap the benifits of that if we accept Him. We must receive Christ Himself, not go to Him, get what we need and then run off. Our acceptance of Him does not stop when we first gave our lives to Him. It continues daily as we follow Him.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 NLT