In this issue:
Unfinished Business
David Clayton
Jesus’ three-fold mission
As we discussing in previous articles, in the long-standing conflict between God and Satan, there are three important things which have been attacked by Satan.
1. God’s character was attacked
2. Humanity was taken captive
3. God’s government was attacked
As we have also seen, it is Jesus’ mission to deal with these three assaults that have been made on the kingdom of God
In order to carry out his three tasks Jesus needed to be qualified in a certain way. Firstly, in order to reveal God’s character he needed to be the begotten Son of God because only a divine being was able to perfectly reveal the exact character of God. Christ was divine because he was born of God, he inherited the very nature and character of divinity by birth.
Secondly, in order to redeem Humanity Jesus had to be the son of man because only a member of the human race could save mankind. He had to take the place where Adam put us, he had to become the last Adam and be put in the same place as the first Adam, and in that place, gain the victory over Satan and sin. So he had to be the son of man as well as the Son of God in order to overcome the devil and to overcome sin and to set us free.
The third thing was that he had to vindicate God’s government. In order to do this he had to have the ability to set up his government inside of each member of his kingdom, because this is the essence of the government of God. If Jesus was to defend and vindicate this government he had to be able to operate on the basis of that government. This he was able to do when as an omnipresent spirit he is able to live inside each member of the kingdom.
Look at those three elements; the Son of God, the son of man, and the Holy Spirit, and you can see why nobody in the universe could have been God’s champion except his only begotten son. Nobody else can fulfill these qualifications, it could only be the only begotten son of God.
How well has Jesus been able to carry out those three great tasks assigned to him? This is what we will examine in this article.
1. Reveal God’s character
Jesus’ first task was to reveal God’s character. As far as this job is concerned, what progress has Jesus made?
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (John 1:18)
This verse highlights the fact that Jesus fulfilled the first task, he has manifested God’s character, he has revealed him. 2 Corinthians 4:6 and John 17:6 emphasize the same reality:
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2Cor 4:6)
I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. (John 17:6)
So in relation to his first task Jesus’ task is finished. This is why he says in John 17:4,
I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. (John 17:4)
It is interesting that there are very many Christians who interpret this statement by Jesus to mean, that everything that he has to do, is finished, done with; but here, Jesus is referring specifically to his first task, that task of revealing God to the world and to the universe. This was what he had finished, task number 1. As we proceed with our study this will become very clear.
2. Redeem the human race.
Jesus’ second job was to redeem the human race. As far as this task is concerned, the biblical testimony is also very clear:
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:17)
How far has Jesus progressed in accomplishing this task?
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:5)
Notice it says that he saved us, this is in the past tense. It is not something to be accomplished in the future but it is something already done! So we may say of Jesus’ second task that this also is finished! This is why when Jesus was dying on the cross his final statement was, “it is finished.” (John 19:30).
Praise the Lord! We need never be concerned about these two tasks anymore, our salvation has been accomplished. The only thing we have to do is believe, that is all, everything has been done by Jesus. It is finished, done. But is this the end of the work of Christ? Unfortunately this is where many people, even well-meaning Christians come to a stop. But remember, there were three major issues which came up because of Satan’s rebellion, three, not two. Though Jesus has finished the first two tasks and settled the first two issues, the third task still remains to be done.
3. government vindicated
The remaining third task is perhaps the most important of all. Task number three is the vindication of God’s government and as far as this job is concerned it is not finished. This is an important reality which is very little understood. But if we stop to think for a moment it is clear that Christ’s work is not over.
Why is it that Jesus has not yet returned as he promised to do? Why is it that evil still dominates the earth? Why is it that Satan is still alive and causing death and destruction? If Christ’s work is finished, then what is God waiting for? Why not just put an end to sin and evil so we can all live in Paradise?
A 2000 year delay
It should be clear that there is one remaining task for Jesus to fulfill. As far as the first two tasks are concerned Jesus accomplished them 2000 years ago while he was here on earth, but the question is, why has it taken so long for him to complete the third task? For 2000 years we have continued to live in the environment of sin where evil continues to dominate the planet and Satan remains alive to carry on his mischief. Why is this so? What is the great hindrance why Jesus has not completed task number three so that sin may come to an end and we enter into the reign of eternal peace?
Let us consider what is involved in this third task of Jesus: In order to complete the first two tasks, revealing God’s character and saving the human race, Jesus needed nobody but himself. He completed these two assignments absolutely on his own without input from any other being in the universe. But remember what the third task involves; it is vindicating the government of God. Jesus’s job is to reveal the principles of God’s government and the effectiveness of God’s government. How is it possible for one person to do this by himself? If we think about this it becomes evident that this is the one job that Jesus could not do by himself because of course, to demonstrate a government there needs to be citizens, there needs to be people who are being governed! So this is a job that involves many people, not just the governor but those who are being governed as well.
2000 years ago when Jesus left earth to go back to heaven, all that was left behind was a very tiny group of believers. From what we understand there were about 120 people making up the church when the kingdom of God was established on the day of Pentecost. If there were more, it was certainly not many more. Can the effectiveness of a government be properly demonstrated with just 120 people? Even with 1 million people, is this enough to give an adequate demonstration? In showing how effective a system of government is, the larger the population the more convincing the demonstration will be. It is easy to take control of a small population and to bend them so that they become completely cooperative, but it is not possible to do this with a large population.
This is why Jesus’ final job has not yet been accomplished. For 2000 years the Christian church has been growing, the kingdom of Christ has been increasing in numbers in preparation for that last great demonstration that Jesus will make, this time through his church, in demonstrating the perfection of God’s system of government.
Let’s remember that God’s government operates on the inside of people, it is the one government in the entire universe which is based on the king living inside his people. It is not government from the outside by rules and compulsion, it is a system where the king unites himself with his subjects and in this way he reproduces his principles, his character, his way of behavior in his people and in his entire kingdom. This is the principle of God’s government and the final job of Jesus is to demonstrate that this is the only kind of government in the universe which can produce the kind of people who are fit to live forever.
When we understand this we can see why it is absolutely vital to understand that the Holy Spirit in us is actually the very presence of Christ himself, because this is the only way that God’s system of government can be expressed through Jesus. It is Christ reproducing himself in his people, Christ himself, not another third person!
The Incarnation delayed
We can see that although God is almighty, although he has the power to do whatever he chooses to do, there is a system and an order in the way God does things. Things like the social environment and circumstances affect the way God operates! Even though God is infinite and he is not limited by time he still operates within the boundaries of circumstances, as well as the environment and the limitations of time. Why is this so? It is because God is not operating for his benefit alone, whatever he’s doing is doing for the benefit of the creatures he has created, angels and human beings, and since we are limited by time and circumstances God also operates within those boundaries.
This is why even though a saviour was needed the moment that Adam sinned, Jesus never arrived until 4000 years later! Think about that, for thousands of years men were dying, evil was spreading across the planet and yet God did not send the Messiah to deal with the sin problem. It was actually 4000 years before he came. Why was this so? The simple answer is that there had to be certain developments within humanity, circumstances had to be right for the coming of the Messiah. This is not something God was forcing upon the human race, God was operating on the basis of certain principles and in accordance with the development of humanity. This is why the apostle Paul refers to the coming of Jesus and says that Jesus came in the fullness of time.
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Gal 4:4-5)
His final commission
Now with this background we are better able to understand the reason for Jesus’ delay in putting an end to sin and in returning for his people. Many people, even Christians have little understanding of this final task of Jesus and as a result they are puzzled as to why Jesus has not yet returned. But in fact the Bible is very clear about this unfinished job that Jesus has to do. The apostle Paul tells us in his first letter to the Corinthians,
Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. (1Cor 15:24,25)
Jesus is reigning today as Lord in his kingdom. This kingdom is made up of all those who bear the name of Christ and who acknowledge him as their king. But obviously he does not rule over all the world, this planet is still under the dominion of Satan and those who follow him. Until sin has come to an end and Satan and his followers are permanently removed, then Jesus’ job is still not finished! So Paul says he, Jesus, must continue to reign until he has subdued all enemies. When the job is finished, when Jesus has overthrown all opposing authorities and powers, then and only then the job of Jesus will be completely finished and he will hand the restored kingdom over to God, his father.
His weapon – the Church
We need to reinforce the point that this final job of Jesus is not something which he can do by himself. To carry out this job he needs people, he needs citizens, he needs a kingdom. From the beginning God has had this great plan to use his church as his ultimate weapon in finally destroying Satan’s government. The apostle Paul highlights this great purpose in the book of Ephesians.
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: (Eph 3:9-11)
Notice the key point here; this concerns a secret or a mystery which was to be fulfilled by Jesus, but which had been hidden from the beginning of the world. What was this secret? It was the fact that God’s wisdom, God’s many-sided wisdom would be revealed through the church! Principalities and powers in heavenly places would come to know, would come to see God’s great wisdom through the church! This is exactly what we have been looking at; God’s system of government, God’s wisdom in the way he has chosen to operate in the church will be put on display before the entire universe and in this way, through the church, God’s wisdom will be vindicated. To put it another way God’s government will be vindicated through the church.
The key issue – maturity
The question is, what will Jesus do in the church, and through the church that will make such an impact on the universe? The apostle Paul says that this display of God’s wisdom will be for the benefit of, “principalities and powers in heavenly places.” What kind of display can this be that will impact even heavenly beings? Again we find the answer in the letter of the apostle Paul to the Ephesians:
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (Eph 4:11-13)
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: (Eph 4:15)
Now we can see the beauty of this amazing task that Jesus is fulfilling. In this final aspect of his ministry, as Jesus himself is living inside his people, he has given different gifts to different individuals, and for what purpose? It is to perfect the body of Christ! It is to bring us all into unity in the faith, unity and knowledge of Jesus Christ until we all become one perfect man, Jesus Christ perfected because his body is now grown up to be proportionate to him who is the head. This is God’s great purpose, to show the universe that his system of government where he lives and rules on the inside, is the government that will produce people who are fit to live forever. We should note that although it is Jesus who does this work, we cooperate with him, this is our part: We fight by allowing him to live, by cooperating with his ministry in us until he is able to accomplish his great work.
This is how God’s government is vindicated and we can understand this better when we remember that Satan’s rebellion in the beginning started in heaven. It was there that he cast doubt upon God’s character and God’s government, it is there in heaven that doubt was first raised concerning God’s way of government. This is why it is so amazing as we consider that from way back there in the beginning, before the foundation of the world, God made a plan, a great secret which was hidden for ages and generations. This plan was to use the church as his great tool in finally answering Satan’s accusations. Understanding this we have a far greater appreciation of our importance in God’s purposes, it gives us a greater sense of our destiny and also our responsibility in being faithful to God and to his leading in us, through Jesus Christ.
His third identity
Before we bring this article to a close I would like to reemphasize the critical truth which lies at the foundation of this third task of Jesus Christ. This is the truth that the Holy Spirit living in God’s people is actually the very presence of Jesus himself. Jesus is qualified to give us life and more than this, to be our very life in a very unique way. What do I mean by this?
Because God is just and fair, in all his dealings and operations everything which he does is based on fairplay, this is true even in his dealings with Satan. This is something we need to understand as we consider the principles involved in the plan of salvation. The only way that humanity could be saved and restored, was through somebody who was a human being, somebody who was a member of our race, somebody who passed through our experiences.
For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, (Heb 2:11)
It was man who handed this world over to Satan, it was a man who brought humanity under the dominion of Satan. The only way humanity could be delivered from this dominion is if another human being, a member of the same race could face Satan’s challenge again, and overcome him. That was the only way. In addition to this, this human being needed to be able to deliver us from the power of sin which had come into the human experience and dominated our existence for thousands of years. The only way he could do this was for himself to be subject to those assaults of sin and to overcome them.
This man who conquered sin and the devil is our Lord Jesus Christ, the son of man who was also the son of God. Now today he possesses this life, this life which has conquered sin completely and the amazing thing is that this is the very life that he gives to those of us who accept him! The apostle Paul explains the process by which Jesus gives us this gift of life. In Ephesians chapter 4 he tells us,
He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) (Eph 4:10)
Notice that he tells us the reason why it was necessary for Jesus to ascend far above all heavens; it was in order that he might, “fill all things.” The new international version expresses it more clearly when it says it was that he might, “fill the whole universe.” The meaning is very clear: Jesus returned to heaven and one reason why this was so necessary was so that he might receive the ability to be omnipresent, to be everywhere at the same time. It was so that he might be glorified, might be given the power to fill the whole universe! Why did Jesus need this ability? It was so that he might be able to live personally in each person who believes in him! By this means he is able to impart his life of victory, his experience of overcoming to every person who believes in him. This is why Paul could say,
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Gal 2:20)
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Col 1:26-27)
This is the mystery of God, the great secret which had been hidden from before the creation of the world. It is God’s great plan that through his son he would restore his life to those who had fallen, and not only to them, but also through this son, to bring the entire universe into one. This is why he has made Jesus the head over the church and given him this ability to fill everything.
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Eph 1:22-23)
This is Jesus’ last remaining task, the job of bringing the church, his kingdom to the place where it is completely filled with his life, totally under his dominion and control. When this is accomplished then it is that all the family of God both in heaven and in earth will be together again as one, just as it was on that day when God completed his work of creation. In the book of Revelation God tells us about this coming time when the mystery will be finished.
But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. (Rev 10:7)
And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Rev 11:15)
And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. (Rev 16:17)
There it is, the third and final time when Jesus finishes the work of God. The conclusion of all three tasks which were involved in clearing the name of God and defending his kingdom. This is the time when the work of Jesus will finally be completely finished.
1. Revealing God’s character – Finished!
2. Saving humanity – Finished!
3. Vindicating God’s government – It is done!
There will be nothing else left for him to do in terms of fighting the battle for the kingdom of God and the salvation of men. Then we may look at all three aspects of Satan’s attacks and see that they have all been completely defeated.
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“Million’s” Story
Miljan Peric is a young brother whom I met in Serbia. He is fairly new to the faith and was eager to share his story of how the Lord has shown mercy to him. His name is pronounced, “Milian,” and I promised him I would remember his name by linking it to the number, “million.” So to me, he will always be, “Million.” ============================
I am Miljan Peric, I was born on October 7, 1997 in Kosovo, in the hospital of the city of Pristina, but at that time I lived in the village of Donja Brnjica, I lived on a farm with my grandparents, mother and father, uncle and aunt and my own brothers Lazar and Milos.
When the bombing of Serbia started, I was a one-year-old baby, the bombing itself lasted from March 24 to June 10, 1999. My father died on May 7, 1999, which was unimaginable for my whole family, but it was the hardest for my mother because she was left alone with 3 small children, the brothers were 4 and 5 years old, and I was one and a half years old.
When I was 6 years old, we lived in Krusevac and at that time my mother taught us that Jesus will be resurrecting my father. My mother is Orthodox but is more traditional than religious. After that when I was about 7 or 8 years old I watched biblical cartoons that my mother bought for me, starting with Adam and Eve. When I watched the story of Abraham I was so moved by the story of when he was supposed to sacrifice his son that it made me cry.
In those years of my childhood, I was a very calm and withdrawn child, my mother told me many times that it was a pleasure to listen to me then. But as puberty started, neither I nor anyone around me could recognize me anymore, that quiet boy disappeared. I started listening to music that mentions fornication and immorality. At the age of 12 I lit up a cigarette for the first time, I thought this would make me more acceptable in my society. At the age of 13, I got drunk for the first time, so drunk that my mother stayed awake all night to watch over me.
By the time I was 14 I had become a habitual cigarette smoker, I drank alcohol more and more often and slowly started smoking marijuana. I listened to and watched all sorts of things, horror music and movies, various Nazi, pagan, satanized songs, dark to the point of pain. During this period was the first time someone put me on the ground. Two others and I, were beaten by 15 people.
From the beginning of school, I was never interested in studying, I was never interested in anything except having fun, at first with games, movies, and later with parties, alcohol and marijuana.
I started drinking so much over 15 years ago that I was someone who was praised by my society as a quality drinker, that was interesting to all of us, we thought it was commendable.
Up until the age of 18, I was very burdened to find the right girl, but I could not find a nice girl who was willing to be with me, so I started going out with girls that I didn’t like just because of the benefit I could get from them. I was destroying myself, but at the age of 18 I first started to think that what I was doing was not good for me.
When I was 19, I got into a relationship with a girl who was my dream girl and I fell in love so much that I wanted to stay with her for the rest of my life at all costs, so I lied to her all the time, fearing that she would leave me. We fought a lot because she was a girl who liked to be in command, and I put up with her until the butterflies in my stomach passed. After 2 years we broke up, after which I consciously and deliberately started to destroy myself.
My goal was to get tattoos all over my body and to always take advantage of girls, to take advantage of my friends and to become some kind of criminal. Thank God, I was never able to put all of that into practice.
A year after the break up with my girlfriend I broke out of my depression and began to live a wild life even worse than in high school. From the age of 20 to 23 I smoked marijuana, drank alcohol, took drugs such as cocaine, speed, mushrooms that are used as drugs, ecstasy, etc. I was dangerously high several times, but in my heart I felt uneasiness, that what I was doing was not good, so I stopped everything except alcohol, marijuana and cigarettes.
I blamed God for my path and for the state of the world. I saw that everything was getting worse and worse, and I questioned whether or not God exists. But during that time I came across clips from a couple of scientists and creationists who proved that God exists, and that conviction brought me happiness such as I had never experienced before in my life, My thoughts had been directed to God, but unfortunately I continued to do the same as before, smoking marijuana, cigarettes and drinking alcohol.
Such a life could not continue forever and after some time, one of the most difficult things in my life happened; the police caught me with marijuana. I was so scared that I betrayed the guys who were selling it, even though they were not involved in my case. It turned out that even if I hadn’t betrayed them I still wouldn’t have ended up in prison, but I got scared and panicked.
Later when I confessed to a friend what I did, he really condemned me. I thought I was going to get into serious trouble and I was scared to death. Eventually it was resolved without any serioius consequences, but I started to be very dissatisfied with myself and the world and I started to question whether or not life had any meaning. I saw that my life was going to waste, I had become a bad person, I hadn’t achieved anything. I thought everyone else was bad, nobody could be trusted, life was worth nothing to me. That was my view on life.
It was then that I met a Christian brother By the name of Vlad and we started having discussions. After we met a few times, he told me about the righteousness of Christ. It was an interestng subject, but I did not understand everything at once and it took me some time to understand what this truth really means.
However, after a while I understood and that was when my life was changed! After a few months, on October 1, 2022, brother Zdravko baptized me and after that I was very happy, never happier.
My life had changed, but I am sorry to say that it was not all smooth sailing. For about 6 months I had no communication with anyone from the fellowship except brother Vlad. I had faith in Christ but I was lacking in spiritual food and the old man started to raise his head again. Unfortunately I started looking for girls again and I got caught up in the company of girls I couldn’t trust. First there was one girl for a very short time, then there was another one who I was with for 7 months. She cheated on me and I found out that I couldn’t trust her, but still, I stayed with her, I couldn’t trust her but I didn’t have the strength to leave her, thinking that I would have a hard time finding another girl. In this time, Satan used both my friends and her to trap me as much as possible.
My friend sent me some conspiracy theories that made me think I was finding out some important secrets. I felt like a detective against Satan but he was actually laughing at me behind my back. The girl I was with started sending me clips of what cults and satanic people are doing in the world. At one point while I was watching, I felt a strange, feeling as if someone was tickling my brain. I immediately prayed to Christ to get me out of there after which God touched my heart little by little. I left the girl I was with and after that I started to hear from my Christian community from Serbia, brother Zdravko and others.
After some time, I went to brother Nikola Markovic’s place. There we became convinced that someone had done sorcery to me and my family back in the past, maybe even before I was born. I remembered that my mother took me to a white magician when I was little, in addition, I had participated in playing a game of summoning spirits when we were about 12 or 13 years old.
So then I talked to Jesus and confessed everything I remembered that had to do with the occult, even about the movies and cartoons which I had watched, and which had elements of the occult in them.
However, Satan would not leave me alone and after this I started to hear from my past girlfriend again who sent me various videos. I also dabbled with marijuana again and got caught again by the police. As I had done before, I gave them information about the person who had sold me the drug. The guy I had informed on to the police called me and asked me to change my statement so that he wouldn’t end up in prison, I said However, that I believed that it was God’s will for me to stick to the truth and because of this he started sending people to threaten me. This was a turning point in my Christian life because I was forced to walk with Jesus. Criminals approached me and threatened me, but Jesus gave me the courage to remain faithful to him.
When I turned around I saw that I was not worthy to be alive and normal, but the truth is that God has the credit that I did not destroy myself completely.
IOur God is such a faithful Father and friend that even though I lived a shameful life before and after I was born, He was always there, He did not take His eyes off me as He watched over me.
During the last few years I disgraced myself , my family and God many times, but now things have changed. Now my prayer to the Lord is, “Lord Jesus make others be amazed by what you will change me into.”
There are many things I haven’t mentioned in the story, but besides what I wrote, God has saved my life multiple times. I drove under the influence of alcohol on several occasions, completely unaware of where I was, yet the consequences were minimal – only slight damage to the car. There was also a time at work when I narrowly avoided serious injury – just because I moved a few seconds before a 25-kilo metal rod flew right through the spot where I had been standing.
No matter how recklessly I played with my life and my destiny, God always showed mercy. Even when I was at my worst, He was full of understanding.
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European Meetings – 2025
In June of this year, my wife and I, David Clayton, were privileged to visit 5 different countries in Europe. Our mission was to share the gospel with the brethren there, with particular emphasis on the prophetic messages which relate to our day. The first part of our trip was to Germany where we had a blessed time. The German report was submitted by Brother Oliver Meyer who sponsored our trip to Europe.
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Germany
After a long journey from Jamaica to Germany, David and his wife Jennifer arrived at Frankfurt airport. The first blessing was, that they arrived the same moment when I arrived, although I had traffic issues to be there in time.
We went to Eisenach and visited the Wartburg, a castle, where Martin Luther translated the bible from Latin language into German. He was on the run, but protected in that place, so he could do this great work. Together with the invention of the book printing press, this led to a wider knowledge of Gods word in the center of Europe.
Friday morning we were heading to Kassel, where the German campmeeting should to take place. The meeting started Friday evening and the next blessing took place. Generally, the number of participants increases over the days, but that Friday evening the room was filled completely with almost all participants. Even some interested guys came by, that didn’t register. The meeting room wasn’t that big, but every existing chair was taken. This has shown, that the message about the book of revelation is of big interest.
The meetings continued in the same way until the first participants had to leave on Sunday evening. From then we continued with a smaller audience on Monday morning. Brother Marco has filmed all presentations and will issue a link to a homepage, where this will be published.
This message became clear and all participants have been blessed. While having the presentations, many questions arose, and, the next blessing needs to be highlighted, brother David answered them all in an understandable way, based on the bible alone.
We hope and pray, that the understanding of the book of revelation will proceed and bring light into the world. Time is tight and knowledge will spread.
After the meeting, we drove to Amsterdam in the Netherlands and spent two days together, until I had to leave and sister Charmaine took over. Every time we parted in the last 18 years (that is how long we have known each other) it was difficult. This time, the joy of seeing each other again prevailed, whether in Europe, in Jamaica, or after the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are part of one family and united by the irrefutable truth of the Word of God, which our brother David can explain and prove so clearly. We are all very blessed in this.
We will see each other again!
We have also decided to establish a regular German online meeting with Brother David. The invitation will be sent out shortly. We are sure this, too, will be blessed. God is good.
Holland
As Oliver noted, he took us by car from Germany to Holland. We spent two days in the city of Amsterdam before we moved on to the Hague where the meetings would be taking place. Our time with Oliver in Amsterdam was very enjoyable and it was a pleasure for Jen and me to get to know Oliver better. I am not much of a tourist, but Amsterdam was a fascinating city and for once I did enjoy walking around with Jen and Oliver and looking at the place. There are bicycles everywhere, I have never seen so many bicycles in all my life. They are parked by the thousands on the sides of the streets and hundreds constantly moving back and forth. When walking one has to be very careful and on the lookout.
Another feature of Amsterdam which was outstanding was that there are canals all over the city with boats on them. Some of these boats are actually homes where people live. The canals are so pervasive that it is possible to use these boats as a means of transportation, like taxis, to move from one part of the city to the other.
After two days, Oliver took us to the Hague which wasn’t too far away, less than an hours drive. This was a different city, much more modern, but definitely not as attractive, full of modern architecture. Here we met Sister Charmaine Harris who had organized for us to hold meetings in the reception area of her dental practice. These meetings were only for Sabbath and Sunday so this was not an issue.
Once again the meetings were relatively small, with about 30 persons in attendance overall over the two days. However there were people who came from Switzerland, Belgium and even from as far away as England! So there was quite an international flavor to the meetings. It was wonderful to meet these brethren and especially humbling to see how happy they also were to meet us and to listen to the messages which I shared. Sister Charmaine went out of the way to make us as comfortable as possible and this was typical of the way we were treated everywhere on this trip to Europe.
After Holland, the next leg of the trip was Serbia and so on the Tuesday morning following the meetings, we flew to Belgrade to meet up with Brother Zdravko Vucinic.
Serbia
We arrived in Serbia a couple of days before the scheduled start of the campmeeting but Brother Zdravko was waiting for us at the airport in Belgrade when we arrived. We spent the first two days at a hotel with him and his family. They are from Montenegro, so they also were staying in these paid accommodations. Nevertheless it was really nice fellowshiping with Zdravko, his wife Nina and their two daughters, Anna and Matea. Our accommodations were on the edge of a lake and we spent some time walking by the shore and just talking together.
The meetings in Serbia are always well attended and this time was no exception. There must have been close to a hundred people in attendance and as has been the case each time I have visited this country, the people are very sincere and very, very much appreciative of the messages of Christ and his righteousness and the gospel of the kingdom. Even though many of them are not able to speak English, it stirred my heart to see how many just wanted to share a hug, or a few words even in their language accompanied by hand signals. Many times on these occasions I have coveted the gift of tongues, but so far, God has not seen fit to give it. Maybe sometime in the future.
One of the healthy signs relating to the work in this area is the fact that there are many young people who are a part of the movement, perhaps more than I have seen anywhere else. I am not sure why there is this hungering for the message here, it may have something to do with the history of the people, but whatever the reason, there is an unusual response to the message. Brother Zdravko has been in the forefront of carrying it, traveling with his family all over the countries of ex-Yugoslavia and sharing with those who will listen.
One highlight of our meeting was the baptism of six persons. They were baptized by Brother Zdravko and it was a joy to welcome them into the family.
From Serbia, the next leg of our journey took us to Romania. Zdravko took us close to the border where we were met by brother David Badea who was responsible for our trip from Serbia to where we would be staying in Romania.
Romania
The Romanian report was submitted by Sister Ana-Maria Zoor
Between June 19–22, we were blessed with a wonderful time of fellowship, as David and Jen joined about 30 of us for a warm-hearted gathering that still lingers fresh in our minds and hearts.
David had not been to Romania since 2019, so this long-awaited revedere (Romanian for “seeing each other again”) was deeply meaningful for all of us.
The meetings began on Thursday, June 19th, with a small group ready to dive into the study of Revelation. David, though he had already presented these studies in three other countries before arriving, shared the message with such fresh passion and joy, as if he had just discovered these truths right then. It was clear that the message came from his heart, not just his lips – a quality we greatly appreciate about him.
Friday was a particularly joyful day as we welcomed four new brothers and sisters into the Kingdom of our dear Lord through baptism: Toma (the youngest, at 17), his parents Valentin and Luminita, and Beni. David’s presentations were streamed live on our YouTube channel so that those unable to attend in person could still follow along and be blessed by the studies. We truly hope that all who participated – whether in person or online – will keep in mind the core messages David sought to convey: that the Book of Revelation is especially relevant for our time, and that God has hidden precious gems within it, waiting to be uncovered by His people as we draw closer to the end of days. The Book of Daniel holds the key to unlocking Revelation, which in turn reveals the unfolding judgment of two kingdoms: the Kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of the beast.
Our time together was filled with singing, thoughtful discussions, and the joyful fellowship of brothers and sisters reuniting after a long time apart.
We look forward, by God’s grace and plan, to welcoming David again next year.
Hungary
The Hungarian report is jointly by Brother Lajos Josza and Brother David
On June 24, we went to Arad, Romania, to pick up David and Jen, where another brother from Romania (also named David) had brought them. It was good to meet another Romanian brother, and it was wonderful to see how faithfully David and Jen traveled tirelessly for weeks so that God’s Word may spread.
In Hungary, from Friday to Sunday, he covered two topics at lightning speed: Seven Thunders and Sanctuary Parables, which were received with great interest by the Hungarian brethren. The gathering was not very large, there were about 30 persons present, but this contributed to the fact that there was a family atmosphere to the meetings and everybody was able to get much closer to each other, even though there were some language difficulties. The meetings were held in the home of Brother Laszlo and Sister Erjica who are pillars of support to the work there in Hungary. They not only provided a place for the meetings, but also provided food for those who attended each day.
The event was crowned by the fact that on Saturday, a sister, Dora Elo, asked for water and Spirit baptism. This baptism was conducted in a portable pool in the yard of one of the Hungarian brethren. Though there were only a few of us present for the baptism (about 20), it was a blessed and solemn occasion. We were all happy for being able to share in this occasion with Sister Dora.
David’s visit was wonderful and blessed again this year. We wish that the Lord’s continued blessing may keep and guide them further.
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From Hungary, we flew back to the Frankfurt airport in Germany and after a wait of seven hours, took the long flight back home to Jamaica. In total, the journey took us more than 24 hours including waiting time in the airport and the three hour drive back home from the airport. We got home pretty exhausted at about midnight, but happy in the awareness that our journey had been well worth the time and effort. We had renewed our bonds with family and made new friends as we had shared the word of God.
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Dangers of Eating Late
Lenworth Frankson
In today’s fast paced world, late night meals have become increasingly common, whether it is dinner after a long day at work, late night snacks during screen time, or midnight takeout. However, while occasional indulgence may seem harmless, consistently eating late at night can pose serious risks to one’s health. Research has shown that the timing of meals plays a crucial role in metabolism, sleep quality, weight regulation, and even long term disease risk.
Circadian Rhythm disrupted
Our body operates on a natural 24-hour cycle called the circadian rhythm, which regulates sleep, hormone production, digestion, and other physiological processes. Eating late at night can disrupt this cycle by sending mixed signals to our internal clock. While our body prepares to wind down and rest, food intake stimulates metabolic activity, essentially throwing our system off balance. Over time, this misalignment can contribute to fatigue, mood disturbances, and impaired cognitive function.
Weight gain
One of the most studied consequences of late-night eating is weight gain. When you eat close to bedtime, your body is more likely to store the calories as fat rather than burn them for energy, since physical activity is minimal during sleep. Studies suggest that people who eat late at night consume more calories overall and are at higher risk of obesity. Additionally, nighttime eating is linked to reduced insulin sensitivity and higher blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Poor Digestive Health
Digestion naturally slows down during the evening, and eating heavy meals late can overwhelm the digestive system. This can lead to issues such as acid reflux, indigestion, and bloating. Lying down soon after eating also increases the likelihood of stomach acid traveling up the esophagus, causing heartburn and disrupting sleep. Chronic acid reflux, in turn, can damage the esophagus over time.
Impaired Sleep Quality
Consuming meals late at night, especially those high in sugar, fat, or caffeine, can negatively affect sleep quality. The body must divert energy to digestion, which can interfere with deep sleep cycles. Inadequate or disrupted sleep not only leaves you feeling fatigued but also affects hormones that control hunger (ghrelin and leptin), creating a vicious cycle of poor sleep and overeating.
Risk of Chronic Disease
Late-night eating habits have been associated with higher risks of several chronic diseases. Research links irregular meal timing and nighttime eating with increased markers of inflammation, higher cholesterol, and elevated blood pressure. All of these are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Some studies have also found a potential connection between night time eating patterns and an increased risk of breast and prostate cancers, though more research is needed.
Emotional Eating
People who eat late at night are often more prone to emotional eating, consuming food out of boredom, stress, or sadness rather than hunger. This behavior not only leads to poor food choices (e.g., sugary or processed snacks) but also increases the risk of developing disordered eating patterns, such as binge eating disorder. The link between poor sleep and mood disorders like anxiety and depression also contributes to this cycle.
Tips for Healthier Meal Timing
● Set a consistent eating schedule: Try to eat your last meal at least 4-5 hours before bedtime.
● Focus on a balanced dinner: Choose lean proteins, vegetables, and whole grains to avoid heavy, greasy meals that are hard to digest.
● Avoid caffeine and sugar at night: These can keep you awake and disturb your natural sleep cycle.
● Stay hydrated: Sometimes what feels like hunger is actually dehydration—drink water instead of reaching for a snack.
The timing of meals is just as important as their content. While occasional late-night eating won’t necessarily harm your health, making it a regular habit can increase the risk of serious conditions ranging from obesity and digestive issues to heart disease and diabetes. By aligning your eating habits with your body’s natural rhythms, you can improve your health, sleep better, and feel more energized throughout the day.
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A Pre-existent Son
Jesus’ true identity as the begotten son of God is one of the most severely attacked truths in all of Christian beliefs. These attacks come in various forms, but the bottom line is that all attempt to destroy the truth that Jesus is literally the begotten son of God, born from God the Father. Some of these erroneous beliefs are:
1. Jesus is not really the son of God, but is God himself operating in the role of a son.
2. Jesus never became God’s son until he was born of the virgin Mary two thousand years ago.
3. Jesus existed only in the mind of God, before he was born as a human being.
In this short passage we will take a quick look at the third error, the idea that Jesus pre-existed only as a concept in the mind of God before he was born on earth. This belief is not consistent with the Bible evidence and I will give a few examples.
John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. (John 1:15)
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Col 1:15-17)
The second passage from Colossians says he was “firstborn,” and this means that he was born before anyone else, it is speaking of his pre-existence as a way of emphasizing that he was able to create all things. He could not have created all things unless he was born before all else. This is the point Paul is making.
It is true that Jesus is referred to as “the word of God,” (John 1:1) but this is a figurative expression signifying that he was the expression of what was in the mind of God. He was the living manifestation of God’s ideas and God’s will, not because He was in God’s mind, but because he was the express image of God. One whose nature and character were the same as God’s nature and character.
The most significant reason for believing that Jesus existed as a person before the incarnation is that, if he had no pre-existence, then the gift of God in giving his son loses its value. God would have had no Son to give, all he would have done is incarnate his words and then allow that incarnation to be sacrificed. That greatly diminishes the value of the gift that was given.
It is true that this truth of the sonship of Jesus is not very prominent in the Old Testament, the reality that God has a son was not an issue. This may be one reason why some conclude that God had no son during that time. Generally speaking, it was not something that was expressed by the Old Testament Bible writers, although there are a couple of verses where it was revealed that God had a son. One such verse is Proverbs 30:4
Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell? (Prov 30:4)
Here we see that Solomon acknowledged that God did have a son, but admittedly, this revelation is unusual for the Old Testament writings. In the Old Testament, the focus is on One God and there is no distinction made as to who in particular is speaking. When the Bible declares that God says something. It could be God himself, or Christ, or even an angel. It is said that God is speaking, regardless of who spoke, as long as the message came from God. Jesus was God’s mouthpiece and spoke as God. He was the messenger of God who spoke as God because he carried the words of God. Notice in the following verse it says that God spoke to Moses from the burning bush:
And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. (Exod 3:4)
However, in the New Testament Stephen explains that it was an angel who spoke from the bush.
And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. (Acts 7:30)
God is the one who does all things, he is the Savior of all men, there is no other. However, he has a channel of saving men and that channel is Jesus Christ. In a similar way we say God is creator, and there is no other. Yet we also say Jesus is creator. Yes, God created all things, but it was THROUGH Jesus Christ.
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: (Eph 3:9)
Jesus is the agent through whom he creates so when Jesus does anything, it is God who does it. It is in him and through him that God accomplishes all his purposes.
This is just brushing the surface of the wonderful revelation that God had a son from before the ages began. This is the great truth which lies at the foundation of the great plan of salvation.
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July 2025
Open Face is dedicated to the promotion and the restoration of apostolic Christianity. In particular to the restoration of those truths which have been cast down to the ground and trampled underfoot by the papacy, and adopted by her daughters.
Our purpose is to motivate our readers to commit themselves wholly to the task of personal preparation for the coming of the Lord, and to the taking of the final warning message to every nation, kindred, tongue and people.
Open Face is published bi-monthly, and is sent free of cost to all who desire to receive it.
Editor: David Clayton
P.O. Box 23,
Knockpatrick, Manchester,
Jamaica, West Indies
+1 (876) 361-8555
email: vidclay@gmail.com
Website: http://www.restorationministry.com
