A Person of Perception and a Pricked Heart, Part 1
A Person of Perception and a Pricked Heart, Part 1
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Acts 2:37
Suppose you’re shaking and swinging your arms, struggling to stop traffic just before a bend because you know the bridge is gone. To the motorists, everything appears and feels fine. They perceive no cause to stop because they see no signs indicating that the bridge is out or roadblocks to redirect them, so their perception tells them nothing’s wrong. To them, it’s right and rational to drive around the bend, and they proceed to their own peril and pain. Even with your warning, they didn’t halt and take heed. So they drove to their demise. Their blind perception was not beneficial to them. They canned the call of wisdom because they were too engaged listening and following a false heart which directed them to trust what they believed was right.
Scripture vigorously voices this truth: There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Proverbs 14:12
The passage powerfully makes it plain regarding the penalty of following a perverse perception.
In addition, scripture is clear concerning the malevolence of the natural mind, heart, and the deep deficiency of discernment that is derived from the deceptive heart.
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Corinthians 2:14 focuses on the difference between the natural and spiritual spaces, accentuating the need for spiritual discernment to understand divine truths.
Have you processed (engaged in an honest evaluation) your personal perception? That is your ability to discern and understand spiritual truths that are often outside the understanding of the natural mind. We all need Spirit-filled perception. Spiritual perception concerns an enhanced appreciation and sensitivity to the actions and leading of the Holy Spirit, which facilitate faith-filled individuals (God’s children) to understand God's will, acknowledge His presence, and receive His supervision for steps of blessings. Spiritual perception is not simply cerebral but is profoundly embedded in the heart and attitude of a believer. Spiritual perception will surface in our souls and spirit through a sincere relationship with God.
From our opening text, the people that heard Peter’s sermon were pricked in their hearts. I submit to you that they subjected themselves to the Spirit, which gave them the Spiritual perception to understand their spiritual condition, in addition to experiencing the pricking of the heart.
In our next time together, we will explore what a pricked heart should produce.
Not a sermon, just some thoughts.
FtGG