Stiff Neck

 The Scripture that keeps going through my mind today...

📖 “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Acts 7:51

I am literally stiff necked today...following a surgery on my c-spine yesterday.

But it got me thinking. With a stiff neck you literally lose range of motion to the sides...up and down. I will heal and my range of motion will be better than ever.

But what about our spiritual stiff necks; they cause us to stop looking to the right or left. We don't look up or down. We are inflexible in our opinions or thought processes. We dont see the people in our peripheral who are in need or hurting. We don't look up for wisdom and guidance. We don't look down in humility.   

We don't listen to God, choose not to follow His direction or listen to those whom God sends...

📖 But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their ancestors.’ “When you tell them all this, they will not listen to you; when you call to them, they will not answer. Jeremiah 7:26-27

I think it is important we do a self examination and see if we are indeed becoming stiff-necked and are in need of "surgical intervention"

📖 Necks get even stiffer. And eventually it lead to total destruction. Whoever remains stiff necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy. Proverbs 29:1

 Without intervention we will be destroyed!   What can we do?

First: Can we hang our head down in sorrow for our sins against God, knowing our own lack of goodness. In humility.

Next: Can we look up toward the heavens and cry out to our God for His forgiveness and mercy.

Third: Can we turn to the left and see the poor and hungry. 

Forth: Can we turn to the right and see the lost and broken. 

And if we can, we must love them in Jesus name. We must DO as Jesus instructed us to do. 

📖 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.  I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:10-15

If you can't seem to move in any or all of those directions, then you must remove whatever is causing the impingement.  Pride, selfishness, anger, bitterness, apathy...

📖  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. John 15:1-2

📖 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:30-32

Your stiff neck can heal and you can be better than before!  The key is to keep it limber and listen to the Lord and what He has for you.

🙏🏼Lord, help us keep us from becoming stiff necked. Help us to constantly keep moving in ways that serve You and Glorify You.♥️