From: Raymond Nicholson
To: Nicholas A Stivers
Subject: My comments on Finney and Revival
Date: Apr 6, 2006 3:44 PM

Nicholas, blessed of God,

Is it perhaps that you may not be aware of the vernacular of brother Finney's day? , when he speaks of "religion" he in most cases, means "true religion" as in the teaching of the beloved Apostle James who said "
1:26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.27 This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world."

To love as God loves we must repent of what brother Nicholas calls religion (and rightfully so I may add) and turn to God asking for His loving grace to us that we may demonstrate true religion

Strong's definition for our English word "religion" in Strongs :

2356 qrhskei,a threskeia {thrace-ki'-ah} • from a derivative of 2357; TDNT - 3:155,337; n f • AV - religion 3, worshipping 1; 4 • 1) religious worship 1a) esp. external, that which consists of ceremonies 1a1) religious discipline, religion

Jesus said we must worship God in sprit and truth. I'd say that this was t brother Finney's goal. I'd agree that we "don't need any stinking revivals' if we are speaking of a revival of human , man centered religion . We don't need what the harlot church calls revival i.e, Toronto, Pensacola, etc.

Nicholas my brother said "That means that people everywhere in every religion need to forsake their empty religious works, idolatry, adultery, deceptions and every offensive precept and man-made doctrine and make a full and sincere surrender to Christ Jesus who is the only one qualified to save us. His example is the only thing we should be seeking and desiring for. All else is vanity, vanity, vanity." and " We need to cast them all aside and make a sincere and concerted effort to make a genuine return to God in all humility and repentant fervor."

what you are saying dear saint of the Lord , is revival. such as when in the hearing of the Law of the Lord King Josiah in II Kings 22...

Brother Nicholas , this is revival when , as it is today, there is a famine of the hearing of the word of God, and when then does hear the word of the Lord in its purest form, and repents and puts aways the idols in the land and as it woudl be today, the idols being "man" and "signs and wonders" just as much worshipped as the Molechs and Asherah and Baalim were by the nation of Israel. . In this story we see a priest, Hilkiah, discovering God's law , and then bringing to a king, Josiah, who repents himself, and then as he does so , so all follow , and this is revival, as the Lord brings it pass. Not some hideous caricature thereof as is commonly seen today.

I may have read Finney wrong but what He said there seemed to me to be something alot of folk who are adulterously pursuing a man centered 'seeker sensitve' or "signs and wonders' religion ought to heed. But your points are surely well taken and I honor you and thank you for your words.

Raymond, a small servant of the Great God

From: Nicholas A Stivers
To: Raymond Nicholson
Cc: Rita Williams
Subject: Now that's what I call a genuine revival...
Date: Apr 9, 2006 2:05 PM

Dear Brother Raymond,

Very well said beloved brother. That's what I would call a genuine revival. But you know dear brother, the strongholds of religion, as I and the Word, define it, are such that most will not tear down their idols and altars of false worship because they provide a degree of comfort for the "unlearned." Their response is so often, "What, come against the church - Never!" The peculiar thing about religion today is that it is viewed more as a "work" or ritual steeped in symbolism rather than a way of life. James pointed that out well in lines 26 and 27. In fact, in its proper context, James' exhortation absolutely refutes todays contemporary houses of religion showing them to be utterly worthless... and I might add, worthy of being torn down like as exibited in 2 Kings 22. In fact - that is the very first plea I make in Exhortation I of my published book, Apostasy Revealed. In order for that to happen on such a grande scale, it must first take place in an individuals own life so that he/she may witness Christ in flesh "proper."

After Christ died on the cross - wasn't the veil of the Temple torn and the Earth shaken? That's what we have to look forward to again but will men and women be able to do it of their own volition before the Angels of God wreak great destruction? If so, how many? Truth is I fear that very few will be able to offer their lives up as living and holy sacrifices unto God and surrender their will as I think they should allowing their souls to be saved to live with Christ eternally. Sad, isn't it?

Not many, He said, "but few."

Your faithful servant and brother in Christ,
Nicholas