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Cornerstone Communications
Romania
July 09, 2005

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings from Constanza, Romania! Well, my 13th World Tour has begun again, and I will be gone for another 11 months, until I return back to Dallas in May, 2006. It was so good to see so many friends and family in Dallas, especially the last week. And what a week it has been! I opened our July 4th patriotic musical in Dallas, packed, and traveled to London and am now in Constanza, Romania. Let me tell you a tale of the last week and these 3 cities.

Dallas, Texas

Last week, we were working fast and hard as we finished last minute preparations on Celebration Covenant Church's patriotic musical, "Our Flag Was Still There". We had a few challenges, but essentially, everything went according to plan. Dad's funeral had thrown everything back by 4 days, and so we were behind schedule. However, we opened on time, and the performances were beautiful and moving. We were able to honor our Lord and our country. We're so blessed to enjoy freedom: freedom to speak, freedom to seek out our own vision, and freedom to worship God. Our final performance was last Sunday, July 3rd.

After the show last week, the entire cast and crew of the production mug for the camera!

Monday, July 4th was spent shopping for last minute travel items, and packing, and seeing some friends at the last minute. I went out with dear friends Paul and Rose Grayburn and their great kids, along with my South African buddy, Herman, to watch the fireworks as they filled the sky. The evening was truly beautiful, and a wonderful way for me to spend my last night in Dallas.

London, England

Tuesday, July 5th, I finished packing, and said goodbye to all my friends as I flew to London. I arrived the morning of the 6th, and saw dear friends Ettienne and Tash Bezhuidenhout. We spent the day together, and were all over London, by way of the subway. In fact, it was in the subway that the joyous announcement came that London had won the bid for the 2012 Olympic games! I enjoyed my time with Et and Tash, and hugged them goodbye, and made my way to Gatwick for a late night flight to Romania.

Bucharest, Romania

Thursday, July 7th, I arrived in Bucharest and was met by my good friend, Ovidiu Tanase. We spent the day getting my visa for Moldova, and meeting with pastors about an evangelical outreach (using one of my theatrical productions) for next year in Constanza.

In London on Wednesday, I was in the subway when they announced that London won the bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. I was shocked to hear that the next day the subways were bombed.

Imagine to my horror when I heard that the London subways were bombed just YESTERDAY!!! We watched the news, and couldn't believe it. Truly, God's hand of protection was over me, and I thank Him that I was kept out of harm's way. We truly never know when our time has come.

We are meeting with pastors, and scoping out some sights for performances next year here in Constanza. Please pray that we will find a suitable (and inexpensive) performance hall for August, 2006. I also leave tonight for Kishenau, Moldova to begin another production. I hightly covet your prayers for that trip, as you'll recall it was were I spend some time in detainment!

Hotline to Heaven

Recently, I was working with a friend to water his lawn. We noticed that although we had turned the water faucet on to water the lawn, almost nothing was coming out. We eventually found the problem. There was a collection of grass, twigs and dirt inside the hose. After we cleared it out, the water flowed freely.

Now in Romania, I'm meeting with pastors about an evangelical outreach using a theatrical production for August, 2006

This is true in our spiritual lives, too. Over the years, we allow the cares of this world to stop up our line to God. No, not the big sins. Those are easy to get rid of, because they so obviously are not a part of our life as Christians. Rather, it's the little things in my life, like speaking harshly to others, complaining, gossiping, getting mad in traffic, etc. It's these little things that seem so insignificant, that I'm not even aware that I do them, or worse, feel the need to repent from them, and to turn away from them.

1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness". He wants us to bring to Him all of our cares: our worries, our doubts, our little sins that so easily beset us. When we confess those sins, God does two wonderful things. First of all, He forgives us, and second, He purges our minds from the memory of those sins!

Why is this important? For several reasons: it frees us from the guilt of all the times when we've "fallen short of the glory of God". It frees us from allowing the enemy to accuse us of those past sins. Also, the culmination of many of those unforgiven sins harbor doubt in our intimate relation with the Lord, and finally, those unforgiven sins can cause fear in us, which the enemy uses to make us ineffective for the Lord's work.

One of the scenes from last week's patriotic musical "Our Flag Was Still There" as we celebrated American Independence Day.

We can become new creations! We have been given the mind of Christ, and when we allow the Lord to unclog our hotline, we then open ourselves up to all that the Lord has desired to do in us! 1 Corinthians 2:16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."

Finally, what is the best way to get rid of those old memories? By meditating on the promises of God, His Word. Each time we choose to go to His Word and to fill our minds with His promises, we are pushing out the old man, our sinful character, and replacing it with what God said we are, new creatures.

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away and all things have become new." Focus your memory on Him, and not on your past. When the enemy tries to accuse you by bringing up the "old" you, recall instead all the wonderful things you've learned about your "new" you in God's Word! Certainly, you will have a clear hotline to heaven!

Dumnezeu Sa Te Binecuvinteze!

That's Romanian for "God bless You!" Well, it looks like I'm "Off to the races!" again. I was so blessed to see so many of you. A very special thanks to my great friend, Patrick Mitchella, for opening up his beautiful home to me. You're a real blessing, Pat! Thanks also to everyone who went out of their way to come and see me, and to spend time with me. I know how busy your lives are, so seeing you was a special blessing for me. God bless you, and keep me in prayer until I see you again next year.

For the Kingdom,
Richard Montez