Morning Star Testimony - Sermon Notes

This message was originally recorded February 22, 2015.

My notes:

What gives us access to God? "The blood [of Jesus] sprinkled is what consecrates and sets us apart to have access to God; it's the life released through death and makes us approachable to God... New birth - new creation - can only occur once Jesus Christ is raised from the dead... born again through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." And what is the goal? "To obtain an inheritance... so, in the measure in which we live our life hidden with Christ in God, then we are coming in experientially to the appropriation and the receiving of that inheritance. It's there - it's already ours, but we have to press in to take it."

As Doug refers to 1 Peter 2:9, the KJV says we are "a peculiar people". Unfortunately in today's vernacular, it seems to imply that we are different, weird or odd. Doug has given us more explanation of the Hebrew form of this word Segulah - Greek N.T. word equivalent: periousios with the following resource:

Segulah, God’s Peculiar Treasure - Article by Allan Halton (https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/segulah.pdf)

In this message, Doug digs deep into some of the technical definitions of terms that reveal some of the characteristics and divine nature of Jesus Christ, including His intrinsic eminence. This was demonstrated in the unthinkable act of Jesus when instead of avoiding a man afflicted with leprosy, He touched him. Doug paralleled this to survivors of SRA, "everyone who is still unresolved does not know God as Father. That is what we need to see in the body of Christ" - not just survivors, but all of us. In the Old Testament, the Fatherhood of God was not clearly expressed nor defined. It took Jesus Christ as the last Adam, the second man to reveal God as Father. The Apostle Paul sadly confronts the church that should be carrying on that revelation, "though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have you not many fathers" (1 Corinthians 4:15). Why is that? "Anything in our lives that is not crucified with Christ is eclipsing Jesus Christ." Later in the message, Doug shares the story of a man he saw in an interview that spoke of the immeasurable value of spiritual fathers in the church. Doug's spiritual father was T. Austin-Sparks, though he never met him in person. That quality of spiritual fatherhood, the reality and manifestation of God as Father, was communicated to Doug for many years, and the result has been very evident.

As we consider what it means for the morning star to arise in our hearts in the closing chapter of this dispensation, Doug shares that it "will have its final crowning event in the not-too-near future. The world's greatest revival is on the horizon; and the most terrible time in the age of the church age - most terrible and wonderful - we're right on the cusp of that occurring."

We are reminded of another teaching missing from today's pulpits, the fact that we can actually hasten the coming of the Lord. In a previous message, we focused on making a way for the Lord as John the Baptist did in the first advent. The passage in 2 Peter 3:11-12 tells us the coming day of God (i.e.: the rapture in contrast to 'the day of the Lord', the 7-year tribulation) can be brought sooner as a result of our holy conduct and living our lives in godliness. "So, what sort of people [should we be]? That which bears intrinsic eminence of God." 'Eminence' is defined as: "a person of high rank or attainments." As members of the body of Christ, sons and daughters of the Most High God, we bear that rank and authority over the angelic realm as well as His attainments and victory in our lives and conduct. Jesus, the last Adam, the second man, as High Priest, mediates that eminence into us, His body.

Doug got very personal as he asked what it was we saw in him as our pastor. "Pastors are very much occupied with what people are going to hear from us and not too aware of what people see. So, whatever way you have not seen a father in me in all these years, if that's all you've seen is a teacher - I failed. I don't care how accurate the teaching is, there's no teaching that I've ever given that I can repent of. I believe that everything I've given is the truth... But - what do people see?" In the ministry God gave Doug, he could speak this from experience: "You show love towards His [God's] name in that you're ministering to the saints." In another message, Doug helped me understand what "first love" is (Revelation 2:4); loving God and loving what (and who) God loves. I testify that this is what I saw in Doug during the 40+ years I knew him.

In this message, we not only hear of the fatherhood of God, but also the motherhood. Years ago when Doug taught us the names of God in the Old Testament, he referred to El Shaddai as the bountiful provider, illustrated as a many-breasted God. In the Hindu religion that has many gods, and one that actually pictures this.

Doug raises the question of those graduating from seminaries, bible colleges, and churches, "How many sons are coming out of there? How many sons are coming forth from any ministry that bear the image of the father? Something's going to happen in the church; something very, very radical and shaking." Quoting Chuck Missler, "The church in the book of Acts, [the] beginning of the church age, began in houses; and it will finish in houses." Doug adds, "Because when the shaking comes (Hebrews 12:25-29), you will not see any buildings. They're all going to be gone. The money that people have put in the buildings, it's all destined for fire." In China, after the church seemed to have been destroyed in its shaking, what remained? "Love for God; love for one another."

For those not aware, many of the 40 years, including the beginning and at the end of Morning Star Testimony Church, we met in houses. I often thought of us as an 'underground church'.

Link to today's audio: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/2-22-15+Sunday+Assembly.mp3

Maranatha!

John Mark

...hereby committing this unto the providential care of the enthroned Head of the Church; whose Name is blessed forevermore, Yeshua Mashiach - Jesus Christ!

This message was originally recorded February 18, 2015, a follow-up to the previous message posted.

My notes:

Doug continues from the previous assembly message with the reminder that Satan will physically occupy the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem during the day of the Lord, but currently he holds that place in the church, the inner shrine of those Christians held captive to do his will. The 'Illuminists' "laugh and mock at the Christians playing their little games, going to church, listening to sermonettes, and living the rest of their life not actually functioning as the body of Christ. It's just kind of a form or ritual to attend church. But they refer to Christians as 'zombies'." This is not meant by Doug as a condemnation of the church in general, but as a challenge to those willing to look at where we are as the church, the body of Christ, and where we are individually.

"Jesus Christ is formed in us through the work of the cross as we decrease and He increases. He is actually formed in us progressively through our obedience and dying to self, and picking up our cross and following Him. The measure in which He is actually being formed in us, there's a corresponding measure which we are being filled into all the fulness of God. To come into God's fulness, it takes Christ, because in Him, all the fulness of the godhead dwells bodily."

Doug describes the reason why the antichrist comes during the day of the Lord with a bow, but no arrows. "When he comes bringing peace, there's a bow and no arrows, so the question is, 'What'd he do with the arrows?' He already let them loose; he let them loose on the body of Christ. And God has used those arrows to reduce the church of Laodicea to only that which will remain as Philadelphia." As we listen to countless prophecy teachers, how many are teaching this? The popular view, one I was taught early in my Christian life, is that everything will be peaceful and nice when Jesus comes to take us home. Then, all hell breaks out once we're gone and the tribulation begins. I just was listening to a mostly accurate contemporary bible teacher compare the taking of Enoch to heaven as he walked with God, equating that with the church, and Noah being taken through the waters of the flood equating it to Israel during the tribulation. I believe this is true, but he misses the fact the church will go through its own tribulation prior to its rescue and deliverance from the earth. We heard that in the last message posted.

Speaking of the church in the last days, Doug says, "Overcomers will not be able to be in the established churches - they're put out; they're rejected... The overcomers are not welcome in the church of Laodicea." Some of us here (and I’m sure, out there) have first-hand experience with this on more than one occasion.

One of the many reasons the church won't be here on earth during the day of the Lord (7-year tribulation) is that the church as the eternal dwelling of God, the Holy of Holies will be in heaven through whom the judgments of God on Antichrist will be administered by angels. Additionally, "the church in union with Christ is the criterion for judging Antichrist" (Daniel 7; 1 Corinthians 6:2-3). 1 Peter 4:17 says, "For it is time for judgment to begin with (literally: at and out from) the household of God... begins with us (the church) first." So judgment will come to the church to purge and refine her; then judgment will come out from the glorified church in heaven on Israel and the nations during the day of the Lord (i.e.: Revelation 6 - 19). "The church in union with Christ is the administrative tribunal that is executing these judgments. And that means all the suffering saints of the church age, their suffering will be the divine criteria as vindicated in the judgments that are taking place on earth."

This message was originally recorded February 15, 2015.

My notes:

A house is where one's name can be found. The name represents the character and nature of that person who has that name. King David wanted to build a house where the Name of Yahweh could dwell, where people could experience and have a connection to the character and nature of the God of Israel. In this church age, Jesus is building the church where that Name of Yahweh can find its home, its expression, its place to manifest the nature and character of God in the presence of man and the angelic realm. In the age to come, that dwelling place for God will consist of the Holy of Holies (the church, the innermost sanctuary), the Holy Place (Israel), and the outer court (the nations). "What attracts the attention of God? That which is dedicated for the Name to have a dwelling place, and thus a manifestation among the nations."

Doug reads and comments on the scriptures that speak of our bodies being the temple (inner shrine; Holy of Holies) of the Holy Spirit. "Jesus's body, His temple, is the presence of God; now the church, by membership, is an extension of that body - living, organic membership." So, individually and corporately expressed locally, "You're the innermost shrine; you're the extension of Jesus Christ; you're a member of the Messiah... the place where the Shekinah glory dwells."

Doug then talks about the fact there will be a pre-tribulation rapture. However, unlike many who believe all will be nice and peaceful and at any minute now Jesus will come for the church - and then things will get really bad, i.e.: the Tribulation, he warns, "Before the rapture occurs, it's gonna get really, really bad. It's gonna be such that believers are gonna actually think that they're in the day of the Lord. It's gonna be that bad." Doug has often taught us, "There'll be a remnant that will be on the earth in those days that will represent a bride without spot nor wrinkle prior to the rapture."

"I can empathize with those that are fed up with the Laodicean sleeping church, and therefore conclude that we must have a purging... but you don't have to change your eschatology to have a cleansed church. All you have to understand is that 'judgment begins at the household of God.' The church will have its own purging and tribulation before Israel and the nations... BEFORE... And when that comes, people will be interpreting it as the day of the Lord - and it's not."

Due to what Doug learned over the years of working with Christian survivors of SRA with generational DID who held the highest places in the Luciferian cult, he made this shocking statement: "The antichrist will be enthroned in the church, the very temple of God." You may want to listen to Generational SRA/DID and the Replication of Satan's Throne in the Body of Christ (https://www.dougriggs.org/Generational_SRA_-_DID_and_Satan_s_Throne.mp3) and read The Luciferian Kingdomization of Christians (pdf - Lori’s notes taken at a SRA/DID seminar). "Antichrist is in the body of Christ, and he is right there attached to the innermost sanctuary, the inner man, then new birth identity." Doug warns, "Your church that has any semblance of salt and light, antichrist is in your midst... Your church is infiltrated, pastors!" "You claim to be a servant of God, are you willing to get antichrist out of your midst? Then you will deal with SRA-DID in your midst."

"Antichrist will be expelled from the church. How do we know. Because he's going to occupy the physical naos [in the rebuilt temple] in the day of the Lord, the tribulation."

Doug challenges pastors who know nothing of the satanic strategy to infiltrate the church with those who are generational SRA survivors and the need to take action. "You got these people in your midst; it's an assignment, it's a Kingdom assignment. It's not subordinate to what you're doing... to your vision. It's priority. ...I'm looking for those pastors who really are ready to mean business with the Lord and are willing to die; to be going into a pit with a lion on a snowy day, and saying, 'God, I'm not coming out until the lion is slain.'"

Doug refers to "the executive position of a believer who actually believes the word of God that says, 'seated with Christ in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6)'; 'co-enthroned with Him'. Well, if you're co-enthroned with Him, what are you doing there? Are you executing the judgments written (Psalm 149)? What are you doing? ... singing your little choruses in church; sitting there listing to a twenty-minute sermon watching your watch? If you're sitting in a church where it's a twenty-minute sermonette, you need to get out of that church, and you need to find out where God wants you to be where you can hear the word of God with enough continuity, enough content where you can come into the mind of God and begin functioning in the manner and way which represents a divinely prepared remnant in these last days."

Recommended Resources:

T. Austin-Sparks, “One Spirit” – I believe this is the full title Doug referred to: "He That is Joined to the Lord is One Spirit" (https://www.austin-sparks.net/english/004782.html)

Wrestling Prayer: A Passionate Communion with God by Eric Ludy and Leslie Ludy

 Link to today's audio: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/2-15-15+Sunday+Assembly.mp3

Maranatha!

John Mark

...hereby committing this unto the providential care of the enthroned Head of the Church; whose Name is blessed forevermore, Yeshua Mashiach - Jesus Christ!

This message was originally recorded January 15, 2014, the last in a series of 8 messages.

My notes:

Doug begins this installment with a challenge to us that when we share the gospel of salvation with people that we don't miss "the biggest and in the Bible". That and includes 'an inheritance'. We are not saved just so we can go to heaven. Once we're delivered from the dominion of Satan to God, there's an inheritance to be gained. Initial salvation is a free gift that requires absolutely no works on our part; but the inheritance is received only by conquest. Salvation is not unto fire insurance; salvation is unto an inheritance. For Israel, it is a physical land flowing with milk and honey; for the church, it's the unsearchable riches of Christ. He IS our inheritance; but He must be gained (see Philippians 3:8 & 2 Thessalonians 2:14). The inheritance is something we can not gain with our own power and effort. It is because of "the second Man" who declared, "It is finished"; it is His work that we appropriate that gives us our inheritance. "That inheritance is wholly predicated on the name that Jesus inherited," the name above all names. Doug explains how He inherited that name.

Hebrews teaches us that Jesus is the mediator of a new and better covenant; "the better sacrifice... the better hope... the son of man that has obtained all that God originally designed for us as man... fully [having] been realized in Him."

"God's intention is not only that the dominion of the earth but the entire universe be subjected to man." The first Adam failed; the last Adam obtained it as man and for man, the corporate new man in Christ. It won't be long before we actually see this in the soon-coming Millennial Kingdom. God's intention and purpose has been since before the creation of man to crown him with glory and honor. "We are the potential vice-regents that are being prepared to carry out the original thought and purpose of God."

"God is completely singular in His focus. 'I want every redeemed person to be filled with the fulness of God; I want every redeemed person to attain the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; My desire is that every redeemed person I'm able to crown with glory and honor. And anyone, for whatever reason, [who] is not in a place where they receive that which I desire to give them, will shrink back in shame at My coming."

The perfection of Christ as the second man is transferable to us. "Jesus Christ as man completes God's goal as man for man... Every day that He woke up, He had obedience to the Father first in mind, knowing that He's the template for many sons to be brought to glory... His obedience would become that which could be imparted and mediated by Him as the High Priest through the Holy Spirit for the perfecting of the many sons."

Doug takes us on a journey to understand the biblical term 'perfection'. This term can be better understood as being mature, complete, lacking nothing (i.e.: James 1:4), and therefore is not used in the sense of "sinless perfection". If we are mature and complete in the Lord, it doesn't mean we cannot sin - but we won't want to sin as we abide in Christ. We lay aside that old humanity and put on the Lord Jesus Christ, making no provision for the flesh (Romans 13:14). "We need to allow Him, the Creator, through Jesus Christ, to bear us along to perfection." It's not something we can do on our own. Jesus is the one who mediates and carries us through to His perfection - maturity, completeness, fulness. Jesus Christ, the last Adam, the second man, "is the prince leader, the originator, and the consummator of our faith; the power of that faith by which we also walk."

 Link to today's audio: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/1-15-14+Wed.+Assembly.mp3

Maranatha!

John Mark

...hereby committing this unto the providential care of the enthroned Head of the Church; whose Name is blessed forevermore, Yeshua Mashiach - Jesus Christ!

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