
Miles J. Stanford
- Sermons
- Bio
Cross, Identification
2.2K47:34Spiritual GrowthIdentification with ChristIdentificationJHN 15:5ROM 6:3ROM 6:6ROM 8:11CO 12:13GAL 2:20EPH 2:6COL 3:32TI 2:111PE 2:24Miles J. Stanford emphasizes the critical importance of understanding our identification with Christ in his sermon 'Cross, Identification.' He explains that true growth in the Christian life is rooted in the foundational truths of justification and acceptance, which must be firmly established before one can grasp the deeper truths of identification. Stanford highlights that believers must recognize their union with Christ in His death and resurrection to experience true freedom from sin and self. He stresses that this understanding is essential for spiritual growth and liberation, as it allows Christians to live out their new identity in Christ. Ultimately, he calls for a deeper revelation of these truths to combat the struggles many face in their Christian walk.
True Consecration
1.9K47:55ConsecrationMAT 6:33HEB 4:9HEB 6:1In this sermon, the speaker discusses the importance of personal work and leading others to Jesus. He emphasizes the need for careful discernment to ensure that individuals are ready for spiritual growth. The speaker also highlights the tragedy of churches relying on external speakers for occasional special meetings, instead of fostering consistent growth within the congregation. The sermon then delves into the topic of consecration in relation to discipleship, emphasizing the progression and development of a believer's journey towards true consecration. The key verse in Romans 6:13 is highlighted as the foundation for understanding and practicing consecration.
Self-Life
1.8K46:37Self-LifeMAT 16:24MAT 22:37ROM 8:28GAL 2:20PHP 3:7In this sermon, the speaker discusses the common practices and pitfalls in preaching the word of God. He highlights the need for believers to be fed and have opportunities to see the reality of the Lord Jesus in their lives. The speaker also warns about the dangers of pressuring people into making decisions or consecrating themselves without giving them enough time to study and grow. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the self-life and the battle between the sinful nature and the new life in Christ. The speaker encourages believers to navigate through the struggles and despair that may arise from realizing their own sinfulness by relying on the forgiveness and acceptance of God.
Edifying Equilibrium
4MAT 5:161CO 15:58GAL 6:9PHP 2:15Miles J. Stanford emphasizes the importance of spiritual growth and balance in the Christian life, highlighting the need for believers to shine as lights in a dark world, remaining blameless and harmless. He warns against spreading a diluted version of Christianity without first being spiritually worthy to share the Gospel. Stanford stresses the significance of reproduction in the faith, not just personal development, and the need to use our gifts to impact others for Christ, ensuring our labor is not in vain.
The Adamic Natures
3ROM 6:6ROM 8:3EPH 4:221JN 5:12REV 3:14Miles J. Stanford delves into the theological question of whether a Christian has one or two natures, exploring the concepts of the old man being eradicated or not. He discusses the doctrine of the two men - the First Adam and the Last Adam, highlighting how humanity is affected by their positions and conditions. Stanford emphasizes the importance of understanding one's essential identity in Christ and the distinction between the old Adamic life and the new creation in the Last Adam, pointing to the positional and condition factors that shape a believer's spiritual journey.
Filial Faith
3MRK 11:24JHN 7:38ROM 8:27COL 1:9JAS 4:15Miles J. Stanford emphasizes the importance of aligning our prayers with the will of God, just as Jesus and the Holy Spirit always did. He explains that true faith is not about possessing power to manipulate God but rather having absolute confidence in God's wisdom and will. Stanford encourages believers to have certainty in God's purpose and to stand in faith, trusting that transformation will come in His perfect timing. He highlights that any circumstance leading us to seek Jesus is a blessing, as it deepens our fellowship with Him.
Free-Born
2JHN 1:14GAL 2:19GAL 5:11JN 2:8Miles J. Stanford preaches about the believer's freedom from the law through death on the Cross, emphasizing that the Law does not give life but rather governs life. He highlights the believer's union with Jesus, who is full of grace and truth, and how God's commands are in accordance with the new nature received through Christ. Stanford explains that God's commands are not meant to be fulfilled in human strength but to lead believers to rely on Him for strength and guidance, rejecting legalism and emphasizing the liberty found in Christ.
Mansion There-Mission Here
2ROM 8:16ROM 13:142CO 5:17PHP 3:20Miles J. Stanford preaches about the Holy Spirit's role in confirming our identity as children of God and heirs with Christ. He emphasizes the importance of putting on the Lord Jesus Christ and not giving in to the desires of the flesh. Stanford highlights how the love of Jesus draws us from darkness to light, focusing on spiritual growth rather than earthly achievements. He delves into the concept of being in Christ, where our old selves have died, and we are now identified with Him in heavenly places, called to walk as new creatures and citizens of heaven.
He Dares to Discipline!
1LUK 15:17JHN 15:2HEB 12:6HEB 12:101PE 5:6Miles J. Stanford emphasizes the importance of not taking lightly the Lord's discipline, comparing it to a father's discipline for the good of his children. He explains that God's discipline is meant to lift us up and mold us into His holy character, not to bring us down. Stanford highlights that through trials and pressure in service, God purges us to bring forth more fruit, leading us to depend on Him for greater answers than we could imagine. Just like the prodigal son found more than sustenance in his father's house, God's discipline and guidance exceed our expectations, showing His love for us.
Positional Conduct
1ROM 5:17ROM 6:14EPH 2:6REV 1:5Miles J. Stanford preaches about the profound truth that believers, who have received an abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness through Jesus Christ, are positioned to reign in life. The separation between law and grace is bridged by the Cross, where grace offers immediate heavenly position leading to right conduct, contrasting with the law's requirement of earning earthly position through right conduct. As believers are placed in an exalted position with Christ in heavenly places, they are called to walk in kingly manner, not to reach the throne, but as a natural outcome of their elevated status.
Accessibility
1EPH 2:19PHP 1:21PHP 3:3Miles J. Stanford preaches about the believer's total reliance on Jesus Christ for the Christian life, emphasizing the need to have no confidence in the flesh but to worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus. He highlights the moment of faith when believers realize they are accepted by the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ, shifting their focus from self-improvement to growing in the grace and beauty of Jesus. Stanford explains the transformation from guilt to righteousness in the presence of the Father, where believers find nearness and attraction instead of distance.
Birth: Savior; Growth: Spirit
1JHN 14:26ROM 8:5ROM 8:141CO 2:102CO 5:7GAL 5:16GAL 5:25EPH 1:13HEB 11:1JAS 2:26Miles J. Stanford preaches on the importance of walking in the Spirit to overcome the desires of the flesh. He emphasizes that while faith clears us before God through the Cross, the growth ministry of the Holy Spirit is needed to clear us from ourselves. By realizing our position in the Father's presence through faith, we are drawn closer to Him without depending on our senses. Faith allows us to claim our abundant title to be near and happy with God, even when our natural conscience may suggest otherwise. The preacher highlights that walking by sight takes us outside of faith, and God desires us to continually rely on faith for every moment, as it is the evidence of things unseen.
From Law to Life
1PHP 2:13Miles J. Stanford delves into the struggle of recognizing our weakness and helplessness as sinners and believers, emphasizing the need for deliverance from the power of sin through God's work in us. He highlights the journey of realizing our inability to please God on our own and the necessity of trusting in Jesus to manifest His life through us, fulfilling the righteousness of the law. Stanford explains that the law, if fully obeyed, would shape us into what God intended us to be, ultimately pointing to the transformative power of Jesus Christ in our lives.
Freely Come; Freely Abide
1JHN 6:29JHN 15:42TH 1:111JN 5:10Miles J. Stanford emphasizes the importance of abiding in the Lord Jesus, highlighting that it is not about our own works but about yielding, trusting, and waiting for Him to work in and through us. He contrasts the common misconception of grace as merely a starting point for Christian living with the truth that abiding in Jesus is a continual act of letting Him work in us through His redeeming love. Stanford stresses the significance of God's testimony about His Son rather than focusing on our own shortcomings, leading to peace and glorifying the Name of the Lord Jesus in our lives.
Merciful Death
1ROM 7:24GAL 2:20EPH 1:18COL 3:2REV 5:12Miles J. Stanford preaches about the importance of setting our affection on things above, emphasizing that our true life is hidden with Christ in God. He highlights the spiritual journey of discovering our sinful nature and the need to shift our focus from self-consciousness to God's revelation of Himself in Christ. Stanford explains that true joy comes from transferring our hearts to a new center in Christ, rather than wrapping blessings around ourselves, and emphasizes the necessity of detaching from our natural center to find deep joy in association with the glorified Lord Jesus Christ.
Dethronement
1ROM 5:17Miles J. Stanford preaches about the freedom believers have been called to in Christ, emphasizing the importance of standing firm in the truth of the new life in Jesus to overcome the power of the old self. He explains that while the old man is not eradicated, believers have been given dominion over it through faith in the finished work of Christ on the Cross. Stanford encourages believers to express gratitude to the Father, regardless of feelings, as a way to activate faith and experience the freedom and victory that comes from being united with Christ in His death and resurrection.
True Love
1GAL 6:14Miles J. Stanford emphasizes the importance of seeking heavenly things over earthly desires, highlighting that God may allow challenges in our earthly lives to strengthen our spiritual state, but He will never compromise our spiritual growth for worldly gain. He encourages believers to not only love Jesus but to also recognize and cherish His deep love for them, drawing them from darkness to light. Stanford urges believers to focus on heavenly perspectives and seek the mind of the Lord from above, rather than being solely influenced by earthly matters and blessings.
Devastating Deviation
1MAT 24:35JHN 1:17EPH 4:292TI 2:15HEB 12:24Miles J. Stanford emphasizes the importance of studying and rightly dividing the Word of God to show oneself approved unto God. He warns against the errors that arise from failing to properly divide the Scriptures, such as misunderstanding the covenants and promises of God. Stanford highlights the distinction between Covenant Theology and the New Covenant in Christ, emphasizing the need to be associated with Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant. He criticizes non-dispensational teachers who bring promises meant for a future dispensation into the present, leading to disappointment and bitterness. Stanford also critiques historical attempts to enforce Christian living through Old Testament laws, rather than embracing the grace and truth found in the New Testament.
Self-Imposed Burden
0ROM 5:1ROM 6:6ROM 8:1EPH 2:6COL 3:3Miles J. Stanford preaches on the profound truth that through faith, believers are justified and have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. He emphasizes the importance of understanding that our history in Adam ended on the Cross, and we are now new creations in Christ, free from the penalties of self-occupation like self-pity and remorse. Stanford highlights that in Christ, our sinful past no longer exists, and we are now seated in Him within the Father's favor, leading to a life of joy and peace as heavenly Christians dwelling in the Father's presence.
My Father's Choice
0JHN 13:7ROM 8:281TH 5:18HEB 12:10Miles J. Stanford preaches about the purpose of God's processing and trials in our lives, emphasizing that even when we do not understand His ways, we should trust that He knows what is best for us. He highlights the importance of consenting to God's leading through difficult processes, as He carefully matches our suffering to our specific needs for spiritual growth and holiness. Stanford encourages surrendering to God's will in the midst of suffering, believing that every trial is meant to conform us to the image of Christ and lead us to a deeper relationship with Him.
Another, Altogether
0MAT 17:5ROM 6:112CO 1:202CO 4:6GAL 2:20Miles J. Stanford preaches about finding the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of our weaknesses and imperfections, emphasizing the need to focus solely on Christ and His perfection. He highlights the humbling yet comforting realization that our flaws only serve to magnify the greatness of God's salvation through Jesus. By recognizing our own insufficiencies and embracing the perfection found in Christ, we can experience true transformation and allow Him to live through us.
Prayer Preparation
0ROM 8:26PHP 4:6COL 4:22TI 2:21JAS 4:3Miles J. Stanford emphasizes the importance of being prepared for every good work, especially through prayer. He shares the example of Hudson Taylor, who was prepared by God for fifteen years before being burdened with specific prayers for the China Inland Mission. Stanford reminds us that God's timing is perfect, and He will only give us further service and burdens of faith and prayer when we are ready. He highlights the significance of spending time with the Father, appropriating His promises, and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our prayers to align with God's will and purpose.
Let God Be God!
0PSA 29:2EPH 3:21PHP 1:11COL 3:17HEB 13:15Miles J. Stanford emphasizes the importance of having a vertical relationship with God, focusing on offering continual praise as a sacrifice to God. He delves into the concept of grace, highlighting that it is not solely based on man's needs but is ultimately for God's glory. Stanford explains that true devotedness is found when one rests in the Lord Jesus and makes Him the object of their heart, leading to joy and strength. He warns against letting the gifts of grace overshadow the Giver, stressing the need to always give glory to the Father and see things from His perspective.
Lifeless Law
0ROM 6:6Miles J. Stanford emphasizes the freedom believers have from the fallen Adam, explaining how Romans Six and Seven illustrate our liberation from Adamic sin and law. He highlights that our liberty was secured on the Cross but is manifested in our daily lives through the work of the Holy Spirit in us and our union with Jesus Christ. Stanford urges ministers and teachers to focus on the themes of death and resurrection with Christ, where grace reigns over the law and the Spirit guides believers' hearts and lives, despite Satan's opposition.
Ointment Poured Forth
02CO 4:12GAL 6:2PHP 2:3COL 1:231JN 4:11Miles J. Stanford preaches about the personal journey of maturity in the Lord Jesus, emphasizing the transition from personal growth to sacrificially serving His Body. He highlights the importance of selflessness in leadership, drawing parallels to Moses' wilderness experience before leading the people. The sermon challenges listeners to choose the path of self-sacrifice for the benefit of others, emphasizing the need to pour out oneself for the progress and well-being of the Body of Christ. Stanford underscores the significance of embodying God's patient grace and love in relationships within the Church, mirroring the Father's care and leading towards spiritual unity.