“But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.” (Psalm 77:11–12, NLT)
Consider the lilies of the field… Matt 6:28
Consider the lilies of the field… Matt 6:28
“But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.” (Psalm 77:11–12, NLT)
thedailylily.com 
As I read this psalm over and over, I thought it was like a recipe for gaining a renewed mind that was like the picture….a lovely garden, a place where the Holy Spirit would surely feel welcome to dwell.
Jesus . . . asked [the sick man], “Do you want to get well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I don’t have anyone who can put me in the water when it is stirred up. When I’m trying to get to it, someone else has gotten in ahead of me.” – John 5:6-7 (CEB)
I always love what happened next!
“8 Jesus said to him, “Stand up, take your mat and walk.” 9 At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.” Jesus is the Great Physician!
As I was thinking on the title of this blog and the word ‘dwell’ and looking at the beautiful garden picture again, I wanted to go and read a Chapter in Sara’s book, Dressing for His Glory, called ‘The Garden of the Lord’. In there she spoke of dwelling also…dwelling in His Vineyard (Relationships) by dwelling in Him, the Vine. As I read the scripture from the lesson, John 15:1-11, and looked at my notes from the lesson, I saw that dwelling had to do with focusing my attention on Him and staying in obedience. I think this would enable me to ‘dwell on His goodness’ more and more.
Debi, thanks for reminding me about the retreat book by Sara, “Dressing For His Glory”. I read in my notebook about the fruit we will bear if we dwell in the Vine and some of the manifestations of we don’t dwell in the Vine. Take a look at the fruit we bear if we do dwell from Gal 5: 22-23 Love, joy, peace, patience kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control. And look at what I had in my notes of manifestations of not dwelling in the Vine from Gal 5: 19-21 … Sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissension, division, envy, drunkeness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Tell me Debi, did I make some mistakes on my note taking here?
Tammy, my notes concur with yours. What a contrast when I read these two lists you posted…looks like their is no good outside of the Vine.
I have been dwelling on two of your tasty fruit favors, kindness and goodness. I really need to find me a mind knitting needle and knit them tightly together. As I dwell on kindness I see my inner attitude which shows in goodness with the things I outwardly do for others..Now. on your notes, this would be my fruit, right?
I am in awe of title of lesson, “Dressing for His Glory,’ I just now finished knitting my new hat to protect my head from wrong thinking. I undressed from the head dress of hurt when the attitude of heart wounds healed and undressed from the old rags called hurt. I redressed in royal colors that reflect from the goodness of reaching out to help others. Yes, the fruit colors reflected back on me. WOW! I love this study as it breathes eternal beauty! If you name fruit colors they seem to show rainbow colors. Hum, do you know a purple fruit?
Interesting thoughts by – George Hovaness Donigian A World Worth Saving
“We will serve others in the ways that Jesus served others. We will speak and act against injustice in the world. We will feed the hungry and find ways to change food policies. We will clothe the naked and minister to those who are homeless. We will visit those in prison and work to make the prison a place where individuals are restored to wholeness.We will make God’s justice and love real on earth. We will find new ways to exercise stewardship for all creation. We will do all this because the world is worthy of redemption.”
Another thought by Howard Coop that encourage us to connect…”When we become united by the prayers of our friends, we establish a strong and powerful supporting bond that brings us encouragement and enables us to bear even the heaviest burdens.”
Purple Plums!! OH….And…. Grapes!! Purple Grapes from the Vine….
Sara, your tightly knit cap that enCAPsulates the Mind of Christ reminds me of the Helmet of Salvation… Soundness of mind…. i.e. the Mind of Christ. Now what color is Kindness and what does it taste like? Is it sweet or tart? And goodness….that’s got to be sweet, don’t you think?
Well, I think the rainbow is a whirl of colorful fruit of the Spirit! Each color a scent…each scent a flavor. ….each flavor a grace….each grace a blessing.
Your mission is to feed your ‘fruit’ to the hungry that they may be fed by virtue!!
“…Now. on your notes, this would be my fruit, right?”
According to my notes…yes, that would be your fruit.
Reading about your new hat, Sara, and how you knit it and your undressing and dressing is a really beautiful revelation to think on.
A purple fruit (that happens to be a vine fruit) could be grapes.
Sara, the purple fruit that comes to mine, of course, is grapes. They grow on a vine!
the above quote by Howard Coop brings to mind the scripture verse: ” pray without ceasing”.
Sara, from your question above ,the fruits of kindness and goodness, I say yes.