Living Sacrifice

I was doing a study on what it truly means to be a living sacrifice. I knew about sacrifices from reading bible stories in the old testament. A sacrificial lamb would be have a perfect white coat, it would be fatty and the best in the flock. Jesus Christ was sacrificed as the Lamb of God. We are called to be living sacrifices. What does that mean? 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2) 

Here Paul is begging us to live our lives (present our bodies) as a living sacrifice. So, our body our life is our sacrifice, we are in need of making it holy and acceptable to God. How do we do that?  

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:1-2)

We need to take out the garbage. It's time to throw away all that does not bring God glory. Jesus Christ died on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Christ died so that we might live. He saved us! We didn't do anything to earn this. Christ was given as a sacrifice in our place! In order to live as a sacrifice we need to live in the world but not of the world. We need to die to ourselves. This is an everyday decision. I found this poem as I was searching for answers.

When you are forgotten, neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don't sting or hurt with the oversight, but your heart is happy being counted worthy to suffer for Christ;

That is dying to self.

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinion ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence;

That is dying to self.

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any annoyance; when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure it as Jesus did;

That is dying to self.

When you are content with any food, and offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption by the will of God;

That is dying to self.

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation or record your own good works or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown;

That is dying to self.

When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy, nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and you are in desperate circumstances;

That is dying to self.

When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself and can humbly submit, inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart;

That is dying to self.