Because David's heart smote him, Saul's wrath never did.

  For David's wrath was directed against himself  -

   while Saul's was directed against everyone else.

It is our own hearts we should critique, 

  not our brother's or our sister's iniquity. 

For if we'll keep a sharp eye out for our own sin,

  not another's, 

we'll safely remain under

  The Lord's protective cover:

The blood He shed

   for the wicked and the dead,

  Let us now remember

     what the Lord said  -

" And why do you behold the mote that is in your brother's eye, but consider not the beam that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first cast out the beam that is in your own eye  - then shall you see clearly to cast out the mote out of your brother's eye"

   One of the greatest dangers facing those who experience rejection often is acceptance.  After being rejected  so often for so long  -  when they finally find acceptance,  perhaps with each other, they can end up rejecting others God sends to them! They're finally the "In crowd",  and what makes the "In crowd" cool is that there's an "Out crowd". Everyone can't be a part of the "In crowd", can they? Well, in Christ, of course, they are. Everyone in Christ is in the "In crowd", Amen! There are no rejects or outcasts, no cliques,  no fleshly divisions or boundaries.  ALL ARE ONE IN CHRIST  - no exceptions  - no Jew or Greek, no male or female, no leader and follower, we are all following Christ together, though the lead climber has the most experience and wisdom. 

....and yet there is room

 

Oh precious soul,

    whose strength has failed, 

  Shunned by men, abused, jailed,

carrying about wound upon wound:

At my Lord's table, there is still room!

For the proud and haughty,

   those first bidden to the feast,

  have one by one refused to take their seat.

So don't ever feel you've been 

  rejected by Heaven's groom,

for though many will come, 

  still there is room...

Room for the broken,  the lonely,  the meek,

you are the ones my Father seeks.

Room for the outcasts  - those the world despises,

 to come and take a seat.

And while those who chose not to come will weep,

you my child, poor in this world's affections 

and love, you will forever enjoy my Father's generosity. 

Each empty seat at my Father's table

  represents a soul that was unable 

to overcome their own pride and greed  -

They chose to reject eternal fellowship with me.

Do not be            as they are

says I, the One who bears your scars.

Come to me now  -

     answer "yes" to my bidding 

that I may forever satisfy 

         your soul's deepest longing...

Come!  Come quickly!

      Says the spotless Lamb,

    to the wedding supper of the Eternal "I AM"

Don't make excuses  -

 "I'm not worthy"

 "My garments aren't fit for this feast"

For I will provide robes for the humble and the least.

Do not hesitate  -

Come now, make haste,

For it is my Father's lasting will

that every seat at my table.....be filled

Of the wine and the songs,

   there's plenty to share  -

 Every heart full and content, 

   in my Father's care...

As I look at my bride feasting with me,

I'm rejoicing to know

I'll enjoy your company,

each of you, for eternity....

 Too often upon meeting people our inclination is to invite them to church.  We take them to hear a "specialist"  - a man (or woman) they've never met and don't know at all: we're teaching them to receive their spiritual manna from someone else, instead of gathering it for themselves.  Taking them to church to be fed, to hear the Gospel, is far less preferable than sharing it with them yourself  - around a delicious meal, at a restaurant or best of all, in your home.

Why do we pawn off our responsibilities on to our pastor or elders? Why do we let them do the "work of the ministry" we are called to do? Why indeed!

Jesus himself did not hog the ministry,  the "spiritual spotlight", so to speak. He sent his disciples out two by two, commanding (commissioning) them to do the work of the ministry and preach the message of the Gospel.  He equipped and empowered them to go forth in his name  - he did not tell them to go and invite people to come and meet him  - so he could lay hands on them and heal them, and preach the Gospel to them. Not at all! His disciples were able ministers, who could do all the works he did, AND HE SENT THEM OUT  - telling them to stay in people's homes, wherever they were welcome. They did not bring them to the local synagogue  to be ministered to, no, they carried with them, in and of themselves,  all the authority and power they would need to win souls for Christ, wherever they went. Jesus did not physically go with them, but he was with them (and us) in Spirit (and in Truth).

The Religious spirit puts people down under the guise of loving them and lifting them up. It wants to put them in bondage to flesh, dependant on flesh, rather than free, sovereign beings, who are bound together by love for one another,  not by any fleshly boundaries or constraints  - not by a sense of "you must submit to me" but rather "I choose to receive the blessings Christ has put in you, for my health and well-being, and may you accept my blessings as well". No one is above or below anyone else in God's kingdom but all are one in Christ.  Apostles,  Prophets,  Teachers, Evangelists and pastors are expressions of God's heart for his people  - and are never supposed to replace him in their lives, rather they are to impart Him to them, as their servants,  not lords, as older brothers sharing the wisdom and spiritual wealth they've accumulated. 

The Holy Spirit's primary concern is and always will be  -  souls. Ours and others. He longs for, yearns for, is passionate for, souls that he can love and bless in eternity.  He wants every seat at the Wedding feast of the Lamb to be filled.

"A certain man made a great supper, and invited many: And sent his servant AT SUPPER TIME  to say to them that were invited,  COME; for all things are now ready. AND THEY ALL WITH ONE CONSENT BEGAN TO MAKE EXCUSE.  The first said to him, I have bought a piece of ground, and i must needs go and see it: I PRAY you have me excused.  And another said, i have bought five yoke of oxen, and i go to prove them: I PRAY you have me excused.  And another said, i have married a wife, and therefore i cannot come. So that servant came and showed his Lord these things. Then the Master of the House being angry said to his servant,  GO OUT QUICKLY INTO THE STREETS AND LANES OF THE CITY, AND BRING IN HITHER THE POOR, AND THE MAIMED AND THE CRIPPLED,  AND THE BLIND. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as You have commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said to the servant,  GO OUT INTO THE HIGHWAYS AND HEDGES, AND COMPEL THEM TO COME IN, THAT MY HOUSE MAY BE FILLED."

So, always do heart check-ups to make sure it's the Holy Spirit you are honoring and following.  Here's an example from my time in Korea. I was on a water only fast when a coworker asked me to make some of my famous Wings for him (he bought, i sauce). I agreed, thinking,  i won't eat them, I'll just make them for him so i don't break my fast  - but as we were waiting for the Wings to fry, we were talking together and the Lord began to minister to him through my words.  So when the Wings were ready to eat, i felt it was important to continue our conversation,  so we ate the wings together  instead of going our separate ways.  Breaking my fast was worth the opportunity to minister to a lost soul.

So remember this lesson: food is a wonderful tool to use in evangelism.  A good meal is a God given opportunity to connect with people on a spiritual level. There's something about partaking of food together that softens people's defenses  - and makes them more open to hearing the Gospel. Maybe it has something to do with the fact you're taking care of their fleshly needs, so they're more open to having their spiritual hunger met (so make sure you buy! lol). A satisfied belly will make them more amenable to having their soul fed. Did not the Lord say to invite the poor to our feasts? Perhaps he is referring to the poor in spirit, as well as in this world's wealth. Perhaps he's looking to feed those poir in Heaven's wealth,  laid up for the righteous.  Perhaps he's inviting the poor in righteousness,  peace and joy In the Holy Spirit.