Psalm 84  This is a song of praise to the Lord.  In it we find truths that we can use to offer our own personal praises to the Lord.

The Lord of hosts ( armies) dwells in beloved places.  The Temple itself was a place that God chose to place His Name.. to be present in.. to dwell with His people in a personal and powerful way.
No wonder those who loved Him longed to be there.  Their hearts and flesh.. inside and out they knew joy in the presence of the Lord.  It was Home to the Lord and those who stayed there were blessed.

The Lord, Who is King, is the God of Zion.  He blessed His people.. all those who lived for Him.
They found strength in Him.
They worshiped Him.
They found shelter in Him.
They received all things from Him with thankful hearts.
They trusted in Him.

God gave grace and glory to them. 
He gave good things to them. 
He shined His face upon them and blessed them. 

When our foremost desire is to be in the Presence of the Lord Most High.. when we make Him our strength, our shield... our everything... we will begin to understand the meaning of this psalm.
Can we say with the psalmist, " I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God, than dwell in the tents of wickedness." ?

The Israelites had a physical building that was the Lord's Temple.  The New Testament tells us that it is our body that is now a temple - for the Holy Spirit dwells in us who have been "bought with a price." .  Since He dwells in us - we are the beloved places! " How lovely are Your dwelling places.." now applies to us.  He is Present.. Personally and powerfully.  It is His Home and He is our home.

What a beautiful and mysterious truth from God's Word.

James 4 warns us what will happen when we allow a different spirit to dwell in us... one that is hostile toward God..
There will be quarrels and conflicts among us... ( v1)
Our own personal pleasures will wage wars in our members.
We will lust and murder, be envious and fight.. ( v2)
We will not pray for what we need or we will not pray with pure motives but with selfish ones. (v3)
We will have friendships with the world that are not pleasing to God. (v4)

Lust - cravings- strong desires... doesn't just apply to sexual desires as we think of it mostly today.   It is whatever entices us and carries us away ( James 1:14).  It is what gives birth to sin and brings death.  It is what the "world" offers that is hostile to the Lord. It is whatever causes us to be "adulteresses" ... unfaithful to the One we have committed our lives to.  It is whatever "pleasure" that becomes more important than God's Presence.

But, James does not leave us hopeless in our struggle, this war in our hearts.. for he tells us that God "gives a greater grace." !  It begins with humbling ourselves and submitting to Him.  We must resist the devil and he will flee from us. We must draw near to God and believe He will draw near to us. We must cleanse our hands and purify our hearts. Repentance includes mourning and humility.

Then, James tells us, " .. He will exalt you." 

As we do this, we will no longer have quarrels and conflicts, for we will learn to allow God to judge our neighbors instead of us. We will learn to submit to His plans instead of boasting of our own.  We will learn what the right thing to do is and then do it.  We will walk by His Spirit who dwells in us and Who blesses us.

Father, may our heart's desire be to dwell in Your Presence and not for the things of this world that will lead us into death and destruction.  Thank You for the "greater grace" that You give to us!
How we long to know Your Presence every day.  Open our eyes and hearts Lord to Your truth and grace.  Amen.