The Sacrifice of Fools
by Peter Horrobin
Many years ago I underlined those three word “sacrifice of fools” in my Bible and thought that one day I would write a book with that title. Well, the years have passed and the book remains unwritten, but the profound principle represented by these three words seems more relevant than ever in today’s world – especially in a formerly very Christian country such as the UK.
For, as time has passed, we have seen more and more of the foundational Scriptural principles that used to be at the heart of government eliminated from our statute books and removed from the educational curricula of our children. God, and the principles spelled out in His Word, have become an embarrassment to a nation that is now almost exclusively secular.
But it’s even more sad when believers in God absorb the world’s views, visit church and offer their worship, but at the same time are not willing to listen to what God has said in His Word. To say that you love Jesus, but refuse to live your life in willing obedience to what He taught, is a prime example of the hypocrisy which made Jesus so angry with the Pharisees. It is simply the sacrifice of fools
Today, one of the most offensive words in the English language is ‘sin’. No-one wants to know that there is a God who sees and what the consequences are of breaking His laws. But as David said in Psalm 14:1, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’”. It’s foolish to ignore God and effectively tell Him that you’re going to live life your way. Sin is a very dangerous disease. And Paul spelled it out very clearly in Romans 6:23 when he said “the wages of sin is death”!
So, may I urge you not to offer God “the sacrifice of fools”, but to humble yourself before Him, choose to listen to what He says and walk in His ways, rather than close your ears to His voice and your eyes to His Word.
Prayer: I am sorry, Lord, for those times that, in hypocrisy, I have offered you the sacrifice of fools – worshipped you with my lips but walked away from you in my heart. Please forgive me, Lord, for the times I have done this and help me to offer you a sacrifice of real praise whenever I come before You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Peter Horrobin is the Founding and International Director of Ellel Ministries. The work was originally established in 1986 as a ministry of healing in the north-west of England, but today the work has spread round the world, with Ellel Centres in over thirty nations. Peter has been doing lots of writing recently, including the "Journey to Life" series which can be purchased online at sovereignworld.com.
Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship. Provided full acknowledgement is made to Seeds of the Kingdom as the source, you are also welcome to use it in a non-commercial way and reproduce it in magazines or other Christian websites. The copyright for any commercial use of the material remains with Ellel Ministries International.
