Mended Institute

Morning Bliss: Word Power _ Focal Scripture : Matthew 14:29, 'And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.'                                       Read: Matthew 14:29   This one word 'come' was spoken by the one who made all things (Jn. 1:3) and it had just as much power in it as the words that were spoken at creation.  This is where the power came from for Peter to walk on the water. Likewise, any word spoken to us by God carries in itself the anointing and power it takes to fulfill that word, if we will release it by believing it and acting on it. We need to not only know God's power, but the greatness of God's power, and then the exceeding greatness of God's power.  This exceeding greatness of God's power is towards us. That means that it is for us and our benefit.  Some people get glimpses of God's...

Morning Bliss: Saved By Grace _ Focal Scripture : Luke 10:28-29 - 'And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?'                                      Read: Luke 10:28   Just as with this lawyer, pride causes many people to resist the truth of justification by faith in the grace of God.  This lawyer loved himself and the public recognition his 'holy acts' gave him.  He was not willing to love God first and his fellow man ahead of himself. His was not a sincere question but rather an evasive question to shun responsibility.  This man was seeking to be justified in the sight of God through his actions.  He knew he had not loved everyone as he loved himself, so he is tried to interpret the scripture (Lev. 19:18) in a way that would conform to his acti...

Morning Bliss: Setting Priorities _ Focal Scripture : Luke 10:42 - 'There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it--and I won't take it away from her!"                                      Read: Luke 10:40-42   There are only three instances in Scripture  that give us information about Martha.  Martha had a brother named Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead, and a sister named Mary.  Martha had misplaced her priorities on this occasion and was corrected by Jesus.  Later, at a supper for Jesus in the home of Simon the leper, Martha was once again serving while Mary her sister was worshiping Jesus by anointing His feet with a costly perfume. Martha was the first one to run and meet Jesus when He came to their home after the death of Lazarus.  It was at this time that Martha said she knew Jesus could have prevented ...

Morning Bliss: Power In The Name Of Jesus_ Focal Scripture : Luke 10:17 - 'And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.'                                      Read: Luke 10:17   It was the power in the name of Jesus plus the disciples' faith in that power that made the demons subject unto them.  This can clearly be seen in Acts 19:13-17 where certain Jews called on the name of Jesus in an effort to cast demons out of a man.  They used the name of Jesus, but it didn't work because they had not put faith in that name. These Jews were itinerants who used incantations to effect deliverance for people who were demon possessed.  The first-century historian, Josephus, wrote of an exorcism that he witnessed in the presence of Vespasian and many of his soldiers. The exorcist supposedly followed a ritual pass...

Morning Bliss: Focus On Jesus_ Focal Scripture : Luke 10:20 - 'Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.'                                      Read: Luke 10:20   We were never instructed to have a Ph.D. in demonology.  However, some justify focusing on Satan and his activity to an inordinate degree.  This will actually encourage demonic activity and become a device that Satan can use against us. As Paul said, we should not be 'ignorant' of Satan's devices.  We certainly need to know that the devil and demons exist, and we need to recognize when we are facing demonic activity. But we need to keep our focus on the Lord. Some people who are excessive in 'spiritual warfare' actually spend more time talking to the devil each day than they do talking to God.  That's not r...

Morning Bliss: Alive Unto God_ Focal Scripture : Matthew 17:2 'And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.'                                      Read: Matthew 17:1-8   It is interesting to compare Jesus' transfiguration with that of Moses'.  Jesus' face shone as the sun and His garment was as white as the light.  This certainly exceeded what Moses experienced, and yet Jesus' face did not continue to shine when He came down off of the mountain as Moses' face did.  Moses' face reflected the glory of God, but Jesus was the glory of God (Jn. 1:14; Heb. 1:3). Moses put a veil over his face to conceal the glory of God (Ex. 34:29-35) so that the people would not be afraid to come near him. Jesus' body was His veil that concealed His true glory within.  During His transfiguration, He pulled back the ...

Morning Bliss: We are His Sent Ones_ Focal Scripture : For God was in Christ, restoring the world to himself, no longer counting men's sins against them but blotting them out. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others.'                                      Read: 2 Corinthians 5:19-20   Every Christian is called into the ministry of reconciliation. That means we’re called to be soul winners.  And in carrying out our ministry of reconciliation, we’re not alone. The Lord is working with us—confirming the Word with signs following.  We are His witnesses to the world that Jesus is God manifest in the flesh.  He sent us to the whole world, to let them know that God isn’t counting their trespasses against them. There’s no one on earth today who’s suffering or would go to hell because of his or her sins. Why? Jesus already paid the full penalty for si...

Morning Bliss: The Best Defense_ Focal Scripture : Matthew 5:39, 'But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.'                                      Read: Matthew 5:38-48   Which would you rather have - God defending you, or you defending yourself? That's the choice that Jesus is offering us here.  'Turning the other cheek' is not a prescription for abuse but rather the way to get the Lord involved in your defense. Many people feel that these instructions of Jesus guarantee that others will take advantage of us.  That would be true if there was no God. But when we follow these commands of Jesus, the Lord is on our side.  He said in Rom. 12:19, 'Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather] give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lor...

Morning Bliss: The Cost Of Living For Christ_ Focal Scripture : Luke 9:58 'And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.'                                      Read: Luke 9:51-62   This verse has often been used to support the misconception that Jesus and His disciples lived in poverty.  However, in this instance, the fact that Jesus had nowhere to lay His head was because of persecution.  The Samaritans, because of a religious prejudice, had just refused Him hospitality and a place to stay as He journeyed to Jerusalem.  Persecution is part of the cost of living a Christian life.  Jesus was communicating to this man that not having a place to stay at times was part of that cost. There are many forms of persecution. Having your life threatened because of your faith in...

Morning Bliss: Grow In Grace_ Focal Scripture : Luke 9:55 'But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.'                                       Read: Luke 9:54-56   Jesus was constantly being accused of breaking the law of Moses. He taught differently than the law of Moses (Mt. 5:21-48), and now He rebukes His disciples for desiring to do what an Old Testament prophet did with God's blessing and power.  However, Jesus didn't come to destroy the law but to fulfill it. Jesus came not to destroy men's lives but to save them (Jn. 3:16; 10:10). 'God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them' (2 Cor. 5:19). Jesus wa just in doing this because He bore our sins (Isa. 53:4-6) and the accompanying wrath of God (Mt. 27:46; Heb. 2:9). Jesus didn't reject God's judgment against sin; He bore ...

Morning Bliss: Life Of God_ Focal Scripture : John 10:10 'The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.'                                      Read: John 10:7-10   The Greek word translated 'life' here is ' zoe ' and it means life in the absolute sense or life as God has it.  Everyone who is breathing has life in the sense of physical existence, but only those who receive Jesus can experience life as God intended it to be. Jesus came to not only save us from the torment of eternal hell, but also to give us this 'zoe' or God-kind of life in abundance.  The life of God is not awaiting us in heaven, but is presently possessed by every born-again person in his spirit.  We can release this 'zoe' life and enjoy it now by losing our natural life and finding this supe...

Morning Bliss: Hearing God's Voice_ Focal Scripture : John 10:2-3 'But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.'                                      Read: John 10:1-21   This verse promises all who are God's sheep that they not only can, but that they do, hear His voice.  Many born-again people doubt the truth of this statement based on their experience. They don't think they can hear God's voice.  However, the Word of God is true - not our experience. The harmony between what this verse says and what our experiences say is that it is our new born-again spirit that hears God's voice.  Although God has spoken and still does speak in an audible voice at times, very few people experience this. God speaks to our inner person (spi...