Lord Prepare me to be a living sacrifice and to be a sanctuary Pt 1

Last night before I went to sleep, I told God some of my fears.

I told Him that I was afraid that I've made up this entire "journey" in my head and I'm imagining all of this stuff because I want something to happen.  In true dramatic fashion, I informed God I just didn't think I could face more disappointment without throwing in the towel and giving up.  I knew most of this was all due to my thought process of expecting disappointment, but I had a very real question.

Have I made all of this up? How do I know this is really God and not my own projections?

In my Yes to God Bible Study this morning's chapter was:

Hearing God's Voice

We were given 5 questions to use if what we were hearing was from God.  I will be blogging about that later on this week.  One of the assignments was to break down Romans 12:1-2 into our own words

(New International Version)
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Every time I have done a Bible Study where we have talked about changing our thought process, the leader brings us to this scripture.  In each study, I have gotten more out of this scripture.  The last time I studied this passage, I realized my I needed to be more aware of my thought process because that is where all of the problems started.

In this study, God has taken me a step further.  

In view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your true and proper worship.

In the Old Testament when they gave a sacrifice, they killed the goat or bull, presented it to the Lord, and that was that.

This here says I'm a LIVING sacrifice.   This implies that the sacrifice is happening on a continual basis.  It isn't just a one time thing.  

What is a sacrifice

A sacrifice is defined as a SURRENDER of something for the SAKE of something else.  Wait a minute...so you mean it isn't all about me and what I want?  So let me get this straight.  My life is supposed to be in constant surrender to God for the sake of his purposes and plans.  I may be in the state I'm in for the SAKE of someone else's salvation or whatever else God wants to do.  

I guess this means it isn't all about me and what I want.

Oh. 

This is your true and proper worship

This is what TRUE and PROPER worship is.  Unlike what I have heard in the past, worship isn't just 5 acts you perform on a Sunday.  True and Proper worship is constantly surrendering your life to God for his purposes.

 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, 

Don't act to the prevailing standards or customs of the way the world does things.

Seeing the way things are going, why would you even want to?  The standards are pretty low.  I live pretty counter culture and  when I've tried to discuss it with people, they basically tell me I should do what everyone else is doing.  

Sorry, but I don't want to end up like everyone else. 

When we were kids, our parents used to tell us "Would you jump off the Empire State building just because everyone else is? Don't follow the crowd." 

I think that sometimes we need to hear that as adults.  It is okay not to be like everyone else. Blaze your own trail.  People who make history do things that nobody else was doing.

BUT be transformed by the renewing of your mind

Transformation means a change in composition and structure.   Renewal is to make like new, restore to freshness, give vigor.  My thought structure needs a fresh perspective and to be made like new.

Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

• When my life is surrendered for the sake of God's purposes
• When I have not lowered my standards to the way everyone else does things
• When I've allowed the Holy Spirit to renew my thought structure and give me fresh perspective

THEN AND ONLY THEN
I will know what God wants me to do and it will be in his perfect will.

After that Bible Study, I knew the answer to my question

I didn't make it all up