HAS YOUR HEART BEEN PRICKED?

Do God's words in the Bible "cut you to the heart" or do they "prick your heart"?

These two expressions are used only a couple of times each in all the New Testament and they are all found in the book of Acts.

In all these instances, which are outlined below, I've noticed that when God's words cause listeners to be "cut to the heart", they did not want to hear the Word and they either took counsel to slay the speaker or they gnashed their teeth.

On the other hand, when God's words caused the listeners to be "pricked in their hearts", they were blessed beyond measure by being obedient to the Word and doing what He asked of them.
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ACTS 5:30-33

"The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, who ye slew and hanged on a tree.

Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

And we are his witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay him."

ACTS 7:5-55

This section deals with the multitude who eventually stoned Stephen as a result of what he witnessed about his Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

"When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth."

ACTS 5:36-37

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

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?

As you can tell from these verses, when the listeners were pricked in their heart, they asked "What shall we do?" They wanted to be made right in the sight of God.
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In the following verses we read about Saul / Paul's experience on the road to Damascus, when the Lord himself stopped him and called him.

ACTS 9:4-6 / ACTS 26:13-15

"And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

And he said, "Who art thou, Lord?" And the Lord said, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks."

And he trembling and astonished said, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" And the Lord said unto him, "Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do."
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It has been a blessing to me to think of the "pricks" Saul was kicking against as the "prickings of his heart" by the word of God and the claims of Christ.

Saul was consenting to the horrific death inflicted upon Stephen and everywhere he went, Saul viciously persecuted the Church and hated Jesus.

The Lord revealed to Saul that because this work was of God, it was hard to kick against the pricks. The believers could never be destroyed and the Church would only grow and spread and multiply by the preaching of this glorious Gospel message.

Far better for Saul to stop and acknowledge that the pricking of his heart was from the Lord himself and that he should acknowledge it and bow before God.

And when he did, "trembling and astonished" he said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?"

Even as a Christian, may the Lord grant that I acknowledge and heed every pricking of my heart that is from Him and seek His strength to respond to His still small voice!

["SHINED LIGHT" from Source of Joy Graphics]