I am a dwelling place, and I want to be a good one

Psalms 132:1‭-‬5 TPT

Lord, please don't forget all the hardships David had to pass through. And how he promised you, Jacob's mighty God, saying, "I will not cross the threshold of my own home to sleep in my own bed. I will not sleep or slumber, nor even take time to close my eyes in rest, until I find a place for you to dwell, O mighty God of Jacob. I devote myself to finding a resting place for you!"

I am a temple of God, and the Holy Spirit lives within me.  Like King David, I want to be passionate about God's dwelling place.  I don't want to be slack about me being a good temple.  I want to be a place where He enjoys resting.  I want to be a good host.

Heavenly Father, you are always welcome in my spirit, soul, and body.  Jesus, thank you for being an example of a good host.  Holy Spirit, make yourself at home, and please remodel or rearrange anything you want in me.  I love you, and I want to be a good host.  

Justice and mercy through Jesus (God)

I was impressed this morning by the connections between Matthew 10 and Micah 7. Jesus said:

Matthew 10
34 "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn
"'a man against his father,
    a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36     a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'

The verse from Micah that Jesus quotes is bookended by statements of God coming to visit, which Jesus fulfills incarnationally.

Micah 7
4 The best of them is like a brier,
    the most upright worse than a thorn hedge.
The day God visits you has come,
    the day your watchmen sound the alarm.
    Now is the time of your confusion.
5 Do not trust a neighbor;
    put no confidence in a friend.
Even with the woman who lies in your embrace
    guard the words of your lips.
6 For a son dishonors his father,
    a daughter rises up against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
    a man's enemies are the members of his own household.
7 But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord,
    I wait for God my Savior;
    my God will hear me.

And why did He come?  Because He loves us.

Micah 7
18 Who is a God like you,
    who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
    of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
    but delight to show mercy.
19 You will again have compassion on us;
    you will tread our sins underfoot
    and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your love and mercy shown through sending Jesus.  Jesus, thank you for bearing our sins on the cross.  I love you.

Iterative implementation

Like multiple terms of a Taylor series are needed for accurate approximation, I am slowly but progressively implementing some spiritual revelations.

Last year at Brandi's parents' church meeting, some elders prayed for me for healing my back.  As they were praying, they shared a word of knowledge that I needed some deep emotional healing.  I have been trying to figure out what that is.  

I have been reading this book about birth order, and the chapter on firstborns has really resonated with me, particularly about the high self-expectation personality trait.  I have realized that I tend to say yes to many things because I feel obligated, and I am beginning to have the courage to say no to requests of me.

Recently my mom encouraged me to proactively release any bitterness or disappointment, which often come from unmet expectations.  

I have been praying a general prayer of release and declaring freedom of (1) any expectations that I have for other people, (2) any expectations of other people on me, and (3) any of my expectations of myself.  On Wednesday, I had to give a practice presentation to an inter-institutional research team, and I was very stressed about it.  I spoke to my mom that morning on the way to work, and I realized as I was talking with her that I needed to begin to apply this release of expectations to specific deliverables.  So when I got to my office, I declared freedom of expectations about that presentation, and my attitude began to shift from apprehension and anxiousness to genuine enjoyment.  

I can tell that I still need more terms in the series, but I feel like I am making progress.

Father, your approval is all I need, and you already approve of me because I am your son, and you see on me the perfect righteousness of Jesus.  Jesus, thank you for living a life of singular focus on love lived out through the will of the Father.  Holy Spirit, break off any expectations of me that are not from the Father, and remove any bitterness or disappointment from my heart.  I want to be free from disappointment, bitterness, and fear.  Those are not of you.  I love you, and I pray in the name of Jesus.

Streams in the desert

"The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.  I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs.

Isaiah 41:17‭-‬18 NIV

Father, I may be misapplying this passage, but I want to help you do this.  I want to help people have clean water to drink in deserts around the world.  And I want them to know that you love them infinitely.  Please show me how to join you in your work.  I love you.