"Utmost with the Least Most" Sanctification & Set Apart

UTMOST

                                                       July 23, 2009


SANCTIFICATION

   Of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto
   us ... sanctification.

   1 Corinthians 1:30


The Life Side.

The mystery of sanctification is that the perfections of Jesus Christ are imparted to me, not gradually, but instantly when by faith I enter into the realization that Jesus Christ is made unto me sanctification.

Sanctification does not mean anything less than the holiness of Jesus being made mine manifestly.

The one marvellous secret of a holy life lies not in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfections of Jesus manifest themselves in my mortal flesh. Sanctification is "Christ in you."

It is His wonderful life that is imparted to me in sanctification, and imparted by faith as a sovereign gift of God's grace.

Am I willing for God to make sanctification as real in me as it is in His word?

Sanctification means the impartation of the Holy qualities of Jesus Christ. It is His patience, His love, His holiness, His faith, His purity, His godliness, that is manifested in and through every sanctified soul.

Sanctification is not drawing from Jesus the power to be holy; it is drawing from Jesus the holiness that was manifested in Him, and He manifests it in me.

Sanctification is an impartation, not an imitation.

Imitation is on a different line. In Jesus Christ is the perfection of everything, and the mystery of sanctification is
that all the perfections of Jesus are at my disposal, and slowly and surely I begin to live a life of ineffable order and sanity and holiness:

"Kept by the power of God."

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LeastMost:



Utmost with the Least Most

Set apart.

Realizing I am nothing isn't hard when I look in the mirror, but what is a miracle is realizing God sees me as perfect.

Not perfected, but perfect in grace, established in mercy, sanctified by the Life and Death of the Son of God.

When He looks at me, He see's a life lived like Jesus did. An obedient life living after not the flesh like I know I do, but after the Spirit of God as He is doing in me and through me.

Thank God I may never see that aspect of His Work to me, but I can be humbled by my sin that is prevalent to me. I am a sinner, that is obvious.

What is not obvious is sanctification meant He already placed me in a category separated from the World and called me Holy.

Love like that dumbfounds me and makes me childlike running to a Father who could do know me so well in my sin, save me from my actions, sanctify me from my judgement and cause me leap into the lap of a God who is not ashamed to call me His Son.

THAT is all Jesus did.
That is good news for me a sinner.

It is great news for those who don't know God yet because it isn't a message of Clean Up and Fix Up, but one of Loving us up to a higher calling than we had ever imagined or dared to believe we could live.

One where He will say...,

"..,presented faultless before the Father with exceeding Joy."

Michael James Stone

"Utmost with the Least Most", In your Presence?~Michael James Stone

DEPENDENT ON GOD'S PRESENCE

They that wait upon the Lord ... shall walk and not
faint.

Isaiah 40:31

There is no thrill in walking; it is the test of all the stable qualities.

To "walk and not faint" is the highest reach possible for strength. The word "walk" is used in the Bible to express the character -

"John looking on Jesus as He walked, said, Behold the Lamb of God!"

There is never any thing abstract in the Bible, it is always vivid and real.  

God does not say - Be spiritual, but - "Walk before Me."  

When we are in an unhealthy state physically or emotionally, we always want thrills. In the physical domain this will lead to counterfeiting the Holy Ghost;

in the emotional life it leads to in ordinate affection and the destruction of morality;  
and in the spiritual domain if we insist on getting thrills, on mounting up with wings, it will end in the destruction of spirituality.  

The reality of God's presence is not dependent on any place, but only dependent upon the determination to set the Lord always before us.   Our problems come when we refuse to bank on the reality of His presence.  

The experience the Psalmist speaks of - "Therefore will we not fear, though . . ." will be ours when once we are based on Reality, not the consciousness of God's presence but the reality of it -  

Why, He has been here all the time!  

At critical moments it is necessary to ask guidance, but it ought to be unnecessary to be saying always -  

"O Lord, direct me here, and there."  

Of course He will! If our common-sense decisions are not His order, He will press through them and check;  then we must be quiet and wait for the direction of His presence.  
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In your Presence?

I love this song:

In Your presence
That's where I am strong
In Your presence
O Lord my God
In Your presence
That's where I belong
Seeking Your face
Touching Your grace
In the cleft of the Rock
In Your presence O God

I want to go
Where the rivers
Cannot overflow me
Where my feet are
On the rock
I want to hide
Where the blazing
Fire cannot burn me
In Your presence O God

I want to hide
Where the flood of
Evil cannot reach me
Where I'm covered by the blood
I want to be where
The schemes of darkness
Cannot touch me
In Your presence O God

You are my firm foundation
I trust in You all day long
I am Your child
And Your servant
And You are my
Strength and my song
You're my song

Seeking Your face
Touching Your grace
In the cleft of the Rock
In Your presence O God
In Your presence 

It is a song, that induces a feeling, that when I am in worship, with my passion, creates a response, and in the presence of other Christians, I am often whisked away to a place I 'feel' like I am in his presence.  

Am I?

God is with Me.
God never leaves me.
God is all about about me.
To my rearward or froward, whether above or below
God is there.

So really, I am the one UNAWARE and He is always THERE.

He is Here, He is now, He is with you.

Together we form a magnificent force, but in stillness and trust the real divinity of the power God is becomes real.

Real because when all about there is a constant activity and need to do something or say something; in quietness and confidence and my strength is made obvious.

It is in Him my faith is whole and all I need do is be aware of:

He is Here.
He is Now.
He is with Me.

Learning to trust enough in that makes me aware that as I go;

I can Ask, Seek and Find, Him willing to reveal not only what he would have me to do or say;

but aware of His presence in the midst of where I am.

Being like that doesn't require a Song, a Church, another person or any other stimulus or feeling at all, but just a simple realization of a Fact he keeps saying over and over again:

I am Here.

He is your God,

Are you aware of Him with you Today?

Michael James Stone

"Utmost with the Least Most", I have rights~Michael James Stone

MASTERY OVER THE BELIEVER

    Ye call Me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I
    am.

    John 13:13


Our Lord never insists on having authority; He never says - Thou
shalt. He leaves us perfectly free -

so free that we can spit in His face, as men did;
so free that we can put Him to death, as men did;
and He will never say a word.

But when His life has been created in me by His Redemption I instantly recognize His right to absolute authority over me.

It is a moral domination - "Thou art worthy . . ."

It is only the unworthy in me that refuses to bow down to the worthy.

If when I meet a man who is more holy than myself, I do not recognize his worthiness and obey what comes through him, it is a revelation of the unworthy in me.

God educates us by means of people who are a little better than we are, not intellectually but "holily," until we get under the domination of the Lord Himself, and then the whole attitude of the life is one of obedience to Him.

If Our Lord insisted upon obedience He would become a taskmaster, and He would cease to have any authority.

He never insists on obedience, but when we do see Him we obey Him instantly, He is easily Lord, and we live in adoration of Him from morning till night.

The revelation of my growth in grace is the way in which I look upon obedience. We have to rescue the word "obedience" from the mire.

Obedience is only possible between equals; it is the relationship between father and son, not between master and servant.

"I and My Father are one."

"Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered." The Son's obedience was as Redeemer, because He was Son, not in order to be Son.

___________

I have Rights.

I hear that a lot lately. Especially in times of trouble and attitudes when someone things they are being abused, stepped on, persecuted, or mistreated. I think we out to become Moradized to our "rights" we ought to learn:

You have the right to remain silent. If you give up that right to remain silent anything you say can and will be used against you.

Since I already have an advocate in Jesus, I think when someone offends me, contradicts me, challenges me or out just makes me mad enough blow thier doors off with religious prowess....I need to shut up.

If I shut up, God can speak up.

God, if he is my defense and my strong tower, is a better lawyer than I am.

He is my defense attorney. He knows I am guilty. He knows I deserve the maximum sentence the law allows and He knows HOW to get me off Scott free. Jesus represents me, and he lays His Life on the line each time He goes to court on my behalf.

Since I have a lawyers like that, I know I can trust the verdict because Jesus himself is placing his Life on the line for me.

My choice is do I exercise my right to speak up?
Do I defend Myself?
Do I assert my rights?
Do I need to really open my mouth at all in any circumstance or situation that comes against me?

Depends...

Depends if I want Jesus representing me or not.

I have rights....,

The right to remain silent.

If you give you that right, Everything you say Can and Will Be used against you....

Michael James Stone

"Utmost with the Least Most" At What Price I Obey?~Michael James Stone

July 18, 2009

THE MYSTERY OF BELIEVING     

And he said, Who art Thou, Lord?       Acts 9:6    

By the miracle of Redemption Saul of Tarsus was turned in one second from a strong-willed, intense Pharisee into a humble, devoted slave of the Lord Jesus.  

There is nothing miraculous about the things we can explain.   We command what we are able to explain, consequently it is natural to seek to explain. It is not natural to obey; nor is it necessarily sinful to disobey.  

There is no moral virtue in obedience unless there is a recognition of a higher authority in the one who dictates. It is possibly an emancipation to the other person if he does not obey.   

If one man says to another - 'You must,' and - 'You shall,' he breaks the human spirit and unfits it for God.  

A man is a slave for obeying unless behind his obedience there is a recognition of a holy God.  

Many a soul begins to come to God when he flings off being religious, because there is only one Master of the human heart, and that is not religion but Jesus Christ.   

But woe be to me if when I see Him I say - I will not.  

He will never insist that I do, but I have begun to sign the death warrant of the Son of God in my soul.   When I stand face to face with Jesus Christ and say - I will not, He will never insist; but I am backing away from the recreating power of His Redemption.   It is a matter of indifference to God's grace how abominable I am if I come to the light; but woe be to me if I refuse the light (see John 3:19-21).
Oswald Chambers 

-----------  

At What Price I Obey?

Jesus never forced the issue with anyone. He left the choice up to the individual person. He was famous for saying "If".  

If any man come after me..., 
Today IF you hear his voice,  

The big If is the question you ask, because God already knows and in knowing has designed the world around you so you learn there should be no if, but when.  

When you come after Jesus you do so out of choice, and your life will be filled of choices.  Filled each day by a God who loves to reveal to you how much he knows you better than you do.  

Peter thought he knew Himself pretty well till Jesus revealed his true nature, and loved Him anyways.Peter denied Jesus three times and not one world of condemnation came for the Masters hand, but from that moment on, Peter was destined for greater things.  

So too with you. 

You are to choose. Choose to obey. Choose to do. Choose to follow. Choose no matter what the cost..... because if you want to be like Paul, you must experience like Paul.

If you want to be like Peter, the same. 

If you dare to be like Abraham, settle it now, God may ask you to give up your child or your most loved possession, even your wife. 

Settle it now that the "if" is gone and you will become a Man with God so real you will be as those who have come before you. You will know God intimately. He will expect that commitment to be real and tested.  

Do you love me? God asked Abraham and that man answered the call. 
Do you love me? Jesus asked Peter and Peter proved true.  

Do you love Jesus? Do you love God?   Are you sure?  

Have you committed to obey only to turn away when God asked some impossible thing of you?  

Turn Back o Man, and start again, never make that same mistake twice and whatever impossible thing God requires of you, Give.   

If you do, you will hear God say,  
Now I know you love me.  

Jesus didn't go to his garden of Gethsemane alone, he went with those who said they loved him.  

Jesus is asking you. 

Do you love me? 

Michael James Stone

"Utmost with the Least Most",~Michael James Stone

THE MIRACLE OF BELIEF

     My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words.

     1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Paul was a scholar and an orator of the first rank; he is not speaking out of abject humility; but saying that he would veil the power of God if, when he preached the gospel, he impressed people with his "excellency of speech."

Belief in Jesus is a miracle produced only by the efficacy of Redemption, not by impressiveness of speech, not by wooing and winning, but by the sheer unaided power of God. The creative power of the Redemption comes through the preaching of the Gospel, but never because of the personality of the preacher.
The real fasting of the preacher is not from food, but rather from eloquence, from impressiveness and exquisite diction, from everything that might hinder the gospel of God being presented.

The preacher is there as the representative of God - "as though God did beseech you by us." He is there to present the Gospel of God. If it is only because of my preaching that people desire to be better, they will
never get anywhere near Jesus Christ.

Anything that flatters me in my preaching of the Gospel will end in making me a traitor to Jesus; I
prevent the creative power of His Redemption from doing its work.

"I, if I be lifted up . . . , will draw all men unto Me."

Oswald Chambers

------------------------------------
"The Most Powerful Message There is in Life."

When Jesus came he spoke of His Father in Heaven and if nothing else could be said by being around Jesus, it was his focus on God.

The gospel is getting revised all the time and new ways of Hyping or Selling it to the people is being done to "get them to Church". In the Jesus Movement, when we got saved, we went out and told someone.

We couldn't contain our joy, we were excited, we didn't have special spiritual laws, roman roads, or even a clear understanding of sin. We only knew we were in love with Jesus and we wanted to tell everyone about how we felt.

There were no notches in our bible belt....yet.

The message has changed and people are scared about Emerging User Friendly Watery Grace of Prosperity Face type of message. Flattery and use of tech seems the norm and I suppose that is good in some ways.

But the miracle of knowing Jesus. The ability to hear his Voice, the capability of God to reach out and supernaturally move in ways beyond explanation for salvation, people aren't seeing as often as they used to.

Why?

Same reason we watch a Romance Movie Classic.

The gospel, when encountered by someone looking for love and forgiveness, is the greatest love story of all time. It is the eternal best seller of eternal life. It works. It saves. It is no more and no less than Jesus Died For You.

Bob Bennett wrote a song that the went something like this:

The Best Thing I can tell you is God loves you.
I can say that from my heart, I know it's the Truth
The Best Thing I can tell you is God loves you.
He sent his only son as Living Proof.

I sit around and make up .....clever lines
Toss them out as they dance... thru my mind
Sweeter Love I may ....never find.
Jesus Died for you.

I am in love.
It is obvious when I go to a church, person or meeting.

My wife loves to watch as I start to talk about the one I am love with.

It isn't her and she says it is amazing to watch the difference in my face, my walk, my talk, my actions and the years roll off my face as it is obvious the pure love of the One I love comes out and she wonders why she does not see all the time. She knows if a person starts to talk about my love, I am there for hours just enjoying talking about him.

She often shakes her head and walks away knowing I won't stop talking about Him.

Love is like that, and I am in love.
I have been for 35 years now.

I love Jesus.

That is the Gospel and the most powerful message there is in life.

Michael James Stone

"Utmost with the Least Most": DIVINE CONTROL~Michael James Stone

"Utmost with the Least Most":
DIVINE CONTROL
July 16, 2009

THE NOTION OF DIVINE CONTROL- by Oswald Chambers

 How much more shall your Father which is in heaven give
good things to them that ask Him?

Matthew 7:11


Jesus is laying down rules of conduct for those who have His Spirit.
By the simple argument of these verses He urges us to keep our minds
filled with the notion of God's control behind every thing, which
means that the disciple must maintain an attitude of perfect trust
and an eagerness to ask and to seek.

Notion your mind with the idea that God is there. If once the mind is
notioned along that line, then when you are in difficulties it is as
easy as breathing to remember - Why, my Father knows all about it! It
is not an effort, it comes naturally when perplexities press. Before,
you used to go to this person and that, but now the notion of the
Divine control is forming so powerfully in you that you go to God
about it. Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct for those who
have His Spirit, and it works on this principle - God is my Father,
He loves me, I shall never think of anything He will forget, why
should I worry?

There are times, says Jesus, when God cannot lift the darkness from
you, but trust Him. God will appear like an unkind friend, but He is
not; He will appear like an unnatural Father, but He is not; He will
appear like an unjust judge, but He is not. Keep the notion of the
mind of God behind all things strong and growing. Nothing happens in
any particular unless God's will is behind it, therefore you can rest
in perfect confidence in Him. Prayer is not only asking, but an
attitude of mind which produces the atmosphere in which asking is
perfectly natural. "Ask, and it shall be given you."

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God is in control.

Whether I know it or not, act like it or not, He is in control. The universe works, my world is ok, because he is in control. Now if he could only only control me.

Often I wonder, Is he in control of me?

I may not always be sure who is in control of me, but I know God is in control and with that I can rest assured that either by internal connection, or external protection, God is in control of my life.

Is he Yours?

He is you know......, conviction or confirmation, you have the Holy Spirit to assure you that no matter the circumstance, there is no coincidence with God. Every moment of your life he is ready, willing, and able to meet you in it.

Right where you are, in the midst of your challenges, or your success. God is there, whether you see him or not, hear Him or ignore Him.

Jesus came to assure us that no matter how we may think, what we may do, or ideas we may have about God, He is our Father and He is always there. Jesus said, not only is He our Father, but when we call, he will hear, when we ask he will answer.

Jesus called us as His own so we could be assured of that.

We have but to Trust Him and what he has said, Not what we feel or do.

"Trust in the Lord, with all thy heart, lean not into thy own understanding.
In all thy ways, acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path"

Do you trust Him?

Father,
Be with us as we seek to give you our love.
Help us to obey when we need to trust you.
When we do not, forgive us.
When we fail, help us.
Be our God in all we do as seek to know you today.
I pray for all of us,

In Jesus name,

Amen.

God bless you.

Michael James Stone