A Faith Response: to my brother Chris Lahr at Asbury TS, Wilmore, Kentucky.

Hello brother!
 
Through much prayer and waiting on Him, only now did it seem appropriate to respond to the message that you sent on "yee" mail on Saturday, May 8, concerning CCC and your love for me. I did not just skim over it and put it in the files, but read it several times, carefully. The desire in this heart is to seek His will, to write only what He wants, that in all things He is glorified. As the letter progresses, I will mostly respond to what you have written, to answer some of the questions you had.
 
You said, " You speak, but I fear you no longer listen (James 1:19)."
 
This is not true. Anyone that has any words that will bring me nearer into Him is wonderful. God uses many ways to speak. He is a mighty God, not limited by a group. I choose to listen and to obey His voice, which shows that I know Him and love Him (John 14:21)... "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." God uses some people more powerfully than others to minister to our souls, as you would agree. In Galatians 2:9, it says that they perceived the grace given to Paul, and gave him the right hand of fellowship. The apostles, in Acts 6:4, did not wait on tables so that they could give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word. They had a higher calling, so needed more power because they were so despised, humbled and made a spectacle in the sight of man. We can only receive His consolation insofar as we are partakers of His afflictions (2 Cor 1:7). The apostles were the least, and the servants of all. God said through Paul, "For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men." God works around sinners, partially through anointed, fully through overcomers, and mightily through suffering apostles, who are heard only by those who are willing to suffer with Christ (Romans 8:17). 2 Timothy 2:12 says, "If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny him, he also will deny us." So who will reign with Christ? Rev 3:21, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne.
 
You had written about 1 Timothy 4:1 as being a Scripture that fit CCC. The verse says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. But what is "the faith?" Is it what disobedient pastors today have conjured up, or is it truly what the Bible is saying about faith? In Romans 4, we are to have the faith OF Abraham. In Galatians, we are to have the faith OF Christ. We are, by faith, to believe fully into Him. We are to "labor to enter into His rest" (Heb. 4). We must, as Heb. 4:1 says, "fear, lest a promise being left of entering into his rest, we should seem to come short of it." "Seeing therefore it remains that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of disobedience..." (Heb. 4:6). "Faith without works is dead." We must labor/work, by faith, until we enter into the last day, the seventh day, the end of our faith (1 Peter 1:7,9), the salvation of souls, His rest, His will. Faith is the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). When we come to the end of our faith, (1Pet 1:9), we see His face, as David, who always beheld the Lord before His face. Let us not be as those in Jude 5, who, after having believed, after having been saved out of Egypt, were destroyed for not believing into Canaan/ the Kingdom/ IN Christ. It IS by grace, brother. We have access, however, into "this" grace, by faith (Romans 5:2). God gives grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ (Ephesians 4:7). Some enter into "this" grace as in Rom 5:2, but most do not. Because, remember brother, God says "wide is the road that leads to destruction, and many find it, and narrow is the road that leads to life, and few find it." "And if the righteous (overcomers) scarcely be

saved, where shall the ungodly (lukewarm, anointed) and the sinner (babes, world) appear?" It says in Luke 13:24, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." Faith is full, if we have the faith of Christ; perfect, entire, after our partial faith has been tested to be made full faith. James 1:3,4 says "Knowing that the trying of your faith works patience... But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." Our faith must be tested, until we want nothing, truly and fully. Wanting nothing, is to will nothing, is to die to the will, as Christ died in Gethsemane. We are then soaked up into His will, one with Him, entering into Christ, free to serve God, overcoming every sinful urge fully, daily!
 
In your email to me, you used 2 Thess 2:9 as a reference about CCC, saying that the people perish because they refuse to love the truth. But what is the truth that this verse is referring to? The truth, as stated in Jn 14:6 is Jesus. Many around the world are receiving the anointing as in 1 Jn 2:27, which promises to guide us into all truth (if we obey, of course - Acts 5:32). Soooooo, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we love the Holy Spirit because we obey His commands. We have known the way, Jesus, confessing He is Lord with the mouth. If we have the anointing, the truth is in us, that guides us into all truth, and yet we need to follow that Spirit through the trying fire (Matt 3:11, Isaiah 28:10) of the wilderness step by step, precept upon precept, to enter into LIFE. That Holy Spirit gives the grace, love, and the power to do the works of the Father, to serve others, to love one another fervently (1 Peter 1:22,23, being born again/anointed), until we are truly sin-free, as Christ. For one to not receive the love of the truth as in 2 Thess 2:10 (notice- "love of the truth," not just "truth"), is to not obey the Spirit wherever He wants one to go... which is into Christ's death. He said to His disciples "Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized." What baptism is this? A baptism of anguish. Luke 12:49,50- "I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened (in anguish), till it be accomplished!" Many receive the truth, or the anointing (1 Jn. 2:27), but not many abide IN the truth, to become truly like Him in His death. The Greek of 1 Jn 2:27 says "the anointing which you received from him abides in you, and ye need not that anyone should teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you all things, and is true, and is not a lie, even as it has taught you, ye SHALL abide IN Him." Then in verse 28, it is telling them (the anointed ones, the little children - not babes, but little children), to abide IN Him. Why? Because "when he appears, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming." We must truly have perfect love. Those who fear are not yet made perfect in love. When I had the anointing between the ages 17-20, it was there, I could feel it. It was real, God did works through me. My mind, however, was sooooo much focused on myself and the fear of man that I could not think about truly meeting the needs of others. I had so many trials, stuck in the wilderness, without really moving ahead. I would get on my knees for two to three hours daily, and yet the whole time I was in the flesh, bombarded with inward trials and lusts. These were necessary, however, to keep me from being proud, that He could show me the way to be free. When God showed me that I could obey His Spirit, it has been a gradual process of no more looking inward at sin, but looking out, constantly travailing and groaning for others' souls, for His purpose and will on this earth. When there is truly "no more I" (Romans 7:17,20), we need not look inwardly at our sin, for our life is hidden with Christ in God, and we know that IN HIM is no sin. This brings a constant burden for souls, to meet them where they are at, etc., and yet I must continue to obey, lest I myself be cast away as stated in 1 Cor 9:27: "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjecton: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."
 

You said "Salvation and holiness are obtained only by the blood of Jesus. You also said, "You have been instrumental in causing people to question their own salvation in and through Jesus."
 
This is absolutely true. Are we saved because we with the mind put our faith in the fact that He died for our sins, and then live like the devil? Demons even believe that Jesus is the Christ, and shudder. Babes however (mere confessors), don't even shudder! Salvation is through andin Jesus because only He can save His people from their sins, not in their sins. We are to go through the consuming fire of GOD to get inside of Jesus. God sent His Son to die on the cross so that we can live in our sins? God sent His Son to die for our sins so that we might be blameless before Him at His coming. We are made blameless by Christ's grace, love, and power on the cross that crushes the power of sin, bringing us to the same death as Jesus - complete death to sin . We know what He does to all sin, all ungodliness and unrighteousness (Romans 1:18). We will be judged according to our works, so it is best that we cease from our own works, and enter into His rest, His will, where His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
 
You also sent a verse concerning the "elect." Matthew 24:24 says, ..".IF POSSIBLE they shall deceive the very elect." This does not mean that the elect WILL BE deceived. It says, "If possible." But who are God's elect? I will send you a ditty about what it means to be the elect. The true definition can even be found in a run of the mill scholastic dictionary. See, many people have ready access to the right definition for the term "elect," but the teachers don't teach it! The elect are holy ones, saints truly led of God, walking after the Spirit IN Christ.
 
You said "I find it interesting that the people involved with the CCC are people who come from the church, even people who were ministering in the church!"
 
Of course! People who are seeking God have always been raised to go to church to find answers about life. The sad thing is, many of the pastors today copy Jeremiah 23: they do not truly feed the sheep, the people are all scattered. God has promised to rebuild the temple, not by might, nor by power, but by His Spirit. People all over the world are seeking for more of Him, hearing His voice, and are jumping aboard to rebuild the tabernacle of David.
 
You also wrote, "We must avoid the temptation of cutting ourselves off from the church... I encourage you brother to begin doing what the church is struggling to do, that is furthering the Kingdom of God in the world!"
 
I agree totally! Thank you for word of instruct! God has been calling us to get more and more involved, soon to be visiting many places, colleges, and wherever else He leads, many hours a week, to spread the glad tidings that Jesus is an awesome and beautiful Savior... not because of a mental assent to a few "faith" statements, but because He can make us free, oh so free from sin! This isn't bondage, but such freedom to serve God, and Him alone.
 
You also mentioned, ..".You fall short in showing love to your neighbor. Influenced by the CCC doctrine you have caused divisions in the church (Romans 16:17; 1 Cor 1:10), in families (1 Tim. 4:8), in marriages, you have influenced people to stop ministries..."
 
No, brother this is not true... for example, Hayley and I immediately stopped all arguments when the greater power and peace of the Lord came and began to control our household. She was able to see the day in and day out life change that came about... nothing that I could conjure up, but from the power of the Lord that brings consistency. You and I have discussed before how it was necessary for the Lord to strip me of carnal emotions, (to separate me from this world), and to replace them with holy emotions. What does Luke 14:26 say about hating father, mother, wife, children, brethren, sister, and his own life?

This is what I believe. But what does it mean? It says in the Bible to love all men, and to honor your father and mother. We have to take all of Scripture and see that this Luke 14:26 simply means we are to love God above all else.
 
You also mentioned that I have caused division in families, marriages, etc. I did not wish that or want that with anyone that I had spoken to. The Bible does say, "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also." I never walked around hoping others would hate me... as one seeks more after God, they become less like the world, and clashes will happen. Luke 6:26 says "Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets." Jesus himself said, I came not to bring peace, but a sword. It also says "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." The Bible says that we suffer affliction according to the power of God" (2 Tim. 1:8). We do not suffer more because we are or are not in a country that prohibits the distributing of Bibles and/or Christian practices. We suffer according to how much godliness has been increased in our lives. The higher the holiness, the harder the afflictions and fighting. It is not a battle of flesh and blood, but of the principalities of this dark world. The Bible also says, however, as much as possible live at peace with all men . I aim to do that. Divisions have occurred when God had me keep obeying what He says, no matter what. God showed me when I came to Huntington that we would be going to Kyle's church in September. I didn't say a word to him, and yet when September rolled around, and I began to doubt that I had really heard from God, Kyle called us up and asked us to come to dinner with him and his wife, mom, and dad. He asked us to "Friends day" on the 13th of September. We were there exactly five months to do God's work. God had showed us a few months previous that Kyle would come to begin truly believing to the saving of his soul (Hebrews 10:39). Many were resenting God's changes in Kyle - Kyle's own wife being one of them! When a psychologist asked her if she hears God's voice, like Kyle was telling him he himself does, she said, "yes."
 
You mentioned that I have been "judgmental." Were you being judgmental by perceiving that I was being judgmental? Matthew 7 and Romans 2 are two of the very few places that speak of this matter. In both cases, it is speaking to the hypocrites. Matthew 7:5 says, "you hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of your own eye; and then you shall see clearly to cast out the mote out of your brother's eye." Romans 2:22,23 says, "You that sayest a man should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You that abhorrest idols, do you commit sacrilege? You that makest your boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?" There would have been no need for God to have written Scriptures about hypocrites being judgmental if it were not possible for true, godly judgment to take place by non-hypocrites! Paul himself says that we are called to judge, (not to condemn , but to judge); to spiritually discern between good and evil Heb 5:14, that we may encourage and exhort others to grow! We make judgments every day. Do you not make spiritual judgments with the anointing that is within you? E.g., when you make the judgment/discernment that the church today isn't doing its job; which organizations neglect the poor, etc... Philippians 1:9 says, "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment." We are not truly in a position to reign and judge with Him (here and now), until after we have attained Romans 6:16 - obedience unto righteousness.
 
When people blame us for cutting ourselves away from the church and sitting in a cubby hole, reading the Bible forever, they do not quite understand patience. How long did John the Baptist hang out in the desert until the time of his ministry? We must be patient, as God is laying the foundation, which no one can see at all. They think this is all foolish nonsense, in which we are all turned inward, doing nothing but running around in circles exclaiming "crucify the flesh," but never getting anywhere. God is

moving, building the foundation for His house on earth as it is in heaven, and someday it will be manifested all throughout this earth, the true gospel, in one pure language of righteous truth, not in divisions of man-made denominations.
 
You said concerning CCC people, "It is their only hope that they could 'do enough,' 'obey enough,' and 'suffer enough' to be considered worthy of salvation."
 
We must indeed be worthy of salvation. Even Luke 20:35,36 says "But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead...." (Matt. 10:11 - the disciples inquired who was worthy (spiritually judging). Matt 10:37 says, "he who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me." Matt 10:38 says, "And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." It is not merely "embracing Jesus and then going out into the world" gung-ho, unarmed, fighting in a war as a 7-year-old. Instead, it is being buried in the likeness of Jesus' death, that we may walk in newness of life, truly bearing pure fruit that lasts, as Paul, who was constantly able to serve and serve and serve, and still not faint or become selfish. Luke 3:8 says to "bear fruit worthy of repentance." Luke 10:7 says " the LABOURER is worthy of his hire." Luke 21:36 says "Watch ye therefore, and PRAY ALWAYS, that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man. (Who shall stand? Ps 1:5 - the righteous (hot)... not the ungodly (anointed/ children/ lukewarm), and sinner (babe/ cold). Ephesians 4:1 says, "Walk worthy of the Lord." 2 Thess 1:4,5 "So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer . 1 Tim. 5:18 says"The labourer is worthy of his reward." See all of these "worthies," and how only God's labourers are worthy? WE also MUST suffer and obey for the sanctification of our souls: Hebrews 5:8,9 "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered ; and being made perfect , he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him ." Hebrews 2:10 says, "For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom all things, in BRINGING many sons UNTO glory, to MAKE the captain of their salvation PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERINGS. For both he that SANCTIFIETH and they who are SANCTIFIED are all ONE : FOR WHICH CAUSE He is not ashamed to call them brethren . Acts 26:18 says, "To open their eyes, to turn from darkness TO light, and the power of Satan UNTO God, that they MAY RECEIVE remission (see Greek, remission=cease, or stop) of sins, and inheritance among them which are SANCTIFIED by faith that is IN ME.
 
You stated the concern: "CCC also says that there has been 1,000 [actually 1900] years absence of this doctrine, and now GOD is restoring His true church. If that is so, that means that GOD has not been doing anything for the past 1,000 [1900] years. Is His mercy that small?"
 
For 1900 years, the church has not been ruled by the principles of GOD that were enacted through Jesus and Paul. Has God been inactive for 1900 years, not truly working in individuals during that period of time? This would truly be a most ludicrous, preposterous, outlandish, and foolish belief. Of course God has worked during that time. There have been many that have overcome during that 1900 years. Many have individually crucified the deeds of the flesh, that sinful lusts no longer interfere with obedience to Jesus. Now, what about the corporate principles of God in the last 1900 years? What about the desire for His true, holy, corporate body (in which is no sin), to function in the world to show the world that Jesus is the Savior of the world? In Acts 20:29,30, Paul plainly says, "For I KNOW this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

God, today, is just answering JESUS our God's prayers: John 17:20-23: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe into (Greek) me through their word; that they all may be one ; as you, Father, in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us : that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me. And the glory which you gave me I have given them; that they may be one EVEN AS we are one: I in them, and you in me, that they may be MADE PERFECT in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, AS you have loved me. This is His corporate body in perfect unity, with one pure doctrine - a matter of power not of talk, foolish controversies, or striving about words, but about godly edifying, which is in faith.
 
You said "Think of the pride and arrogance, God is only revealing this 'truth' to this small group??"
 
We have already mentioned that the truth is the anointing. God has revealed this to many all over the world. People will begin to obey that anointing, and in time will be a huge witness of Jesus in power and in glory. He now is building the foundation, starting tiny ministries here and there, and everywhere. What pride to think that CCC in and of itself IS the kingdom of God. CCC is an instrument. God is big, brother, not to be placed into some bubble. The difference between now and the last 1900 years, is that the seven candlesticks/seven churches mentioned in Revelation will all be (and even now ARE BEING) manifested at once for a global witness before the end. Satan is now bound so that the corporate body of Christ can rule and reign with a rod of iron, proclaiming holiness unto the Lord. Without holiness, no one will see the Lord.
 
You have heard about one example (Aimee), and mistakenly base many untrue things on this experience. We are glad that she now is very active in ministry (witnessing all over the place). It was prophesied very clearly to her that following the CCC meeting she would undergo many, many trials. We also were shown by the Lord that she would fall back from the firm stand of the full truth for a season, to be tried. Man is deceitful. When we were with her, she said nothing but how "perfect" the CCC weekend was, and that when she saw Robert, she defined his walk as "beauty." She felt unworthy for a season to minister, etc. This is normal, and is good. The more we are freed from sin, however, we are given a confidence in Him to share all truth with many. It is called patient endurance. We can be like many believers today who receive the anointing, and then get drunk on the filling, basking in the pleasure of righteousness, peace, and joy, or we can choose to obey Christ through the hard road of the wilderness, which ultimately and even currently brings much more righteousness, peace, and joy - the kingdom - Christ Himself! When are we to rejoice? God says in 1 Peter 4:13 "But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." It seems that with most, they never get past the baby milk, as the truth is shared over and over about repentance of every dead work and so on. The solid food, however, is given to God's holy ones, the deeper mysteries of the wisdom of God, enabling them to peer into others' souls, constantly saying as Paul in 2 Corinthians 5 "Be reconciled to God..." Jesus became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God IN Him .
 
You wrote that you heard this: "In fact Hybels says that when Bristow left the church - he did so only after he was rejected leadership position twice in the Willow Creek fellowship - he said that he was going to bring the church down, and he was going to do it by building his own church, and that on the backs of the young and educated."
 
If Robert were trying to bring the church down, why would he write to churches such as Willow Creek, (letters which are on the website for all to see), informing the reader that GOD will refine it for His purposes - to build it up (Corporate Concepts 3)?

When the Lord had us bring this up to Robert, we did not even realize, but we were surrounded by a slew of very old, and very poor people, and we were eating dinner with them. Robert does this almost every Saturday. He has been thrown into prison for standing up for the rights of the poor, confronting one who did not have mercy on a poor person that "messed himself," (if you know what I mean). If you would have been at the meeting, over half of those in attendance do not have any kind of college education at all. Robert did not even graduate from high school himself, Dale is a car mechanic, Larry lays carpet, and so on... I am not surprised at all by the stories heard through the grapevine that came from Willow Creek. It is no exaggeration that we have been very amazed at rumors that have been spread about us that were entirely false and utterly skewed. The gossip is at best half-truths, mixed up stories by those that love to talk. Brother, who informed you that CCC does not reach out to the poor? That is not true. I hope I have never discouraged you from reaching out to the poor. The Bible is absolutely loaded with Scriptures concerning justice for the poor.
 
You have also said, "You, better than most, know how it is no longer I who am living."
 
This was not what happened when you were anointed down at the altar at age 17, brother. This was the power to BECOME a son of God (John 1:12). We "no longer live" only after going through many tribulations as Christ to enter into the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22), to be one with him, to buried with him in the likeness of His death , that we may also be of His resurrection (Rom. 6:5). How can you say that you no longer lived, when, after you were anointed you fell back into sin with your girlfriend? The building was not built strong. "You" were still living. The foundation was not built slowly and patiently. One who is born of God (overcomer) does not commit sin. 1 Jn 3:5,6 says, "And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and IN HIM is no sin." Whosoever abides IN HIM sins not : whosoever sins has not seen him , neither known him." We know Him, when we are IN HIM, or know Him as Adam knew Eve - one. We then can claim that we no longer live. John 3:6 says, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit."
 
Chris, you said, "Let me ask, if God showed you that CCC was off would you leave?"
 
Definitely. I can, however, confidently say that God, by His Holy Spirit, (the same Holy Spirit that anointed you), is leading me by the anointing into His death, to be used within God's testing instrument (Christian Community Churches) for His glory alone, for God to purge many existing ministries, throwing out the old, bringing in the new, for the salvation of His elect souls (His blameless bride).
 
 
your brother and friend as well, with all love, 
 
Casey, July '99

[see Corporate Concepts # 3]