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Cornerstone Communications
USA
October 04, 2006

Dear Friends & Family,

Greetings from Dallas, Texas, USA! I'm home! What a blessing to be here! But oh, what a schedule I've been on! I want to apologize for taking so long to write, but I just haven't had even 5 minutes to read e-mails, much less write a Weekly Update. Did you know that on Monday was my birthday and I turned FIFTY? Now, how is that possible? I was just 21 a few years ago!

Can you believe that this past weekend I had two shows running simultaneously: Mexico City and Dallas, Texas? Both of the productions were a success, and I'm grateful to the Lord for having helped me to accomplish such an impossible task! Let me review both:

The cast of "El Refugio Secreto" after a performance on Opening Weekend. The production enjoyed huge success in Mexico City. Over 500 came to know Jesus Christ!

Show One: Mexico City

After working so hard to build a 4 story home on stage, we opened, "El Refugio Secreto" in Mexico City and were mildly surprised at how the audiences continued to grow from the first night to the final night. This past weekend, we had packed out the 2,000 seat auditorium, and hundreds were coming to the Lord! The actors in Mexico had gone from never having done a production of any size, to a full scale, Broadway style theatrical production epic in nature. It starts off in Holland and ends in Germany. The actors were truly amazing, and I'm grateful to Pastor Sergio for allowing me to come and present this wonderful story of forgiveness to the Mexican people. He has already invited me back to do another production next year!

Show Two: Dallas, Texas

Last Monday, I dashed home to begin working immediately on "A View from the Edge", because this time it was going to be a national production. We had people flying in from around the country to come to the production. This is our 7th year to do this production, but our first national show, so we were nervous! However, the Lord was gracious, and allowed each character and scene to go off perfectly. The audience loved the production, and I had a chance to minister to the people. Although it's a secular show, I still was able to lead 20 people to the Lord in a special devotional time on Sunday. Wow! God is so good!

A scene from Mexico City's "El Refugio Secreto".

Birthday Boy!

The show ended on Monday night at midnight, and by the time we took the sets down, loaded the trucks and drove to storage, it was 4:30 a.m. I was in bed by 5 a.m. but was back up at 7 a.m., to continue working. I spent the day putting the show "away", and then on Monday night, 60 of my closest friends got together to join me in celebrating the big 50! The best part was seeing all the people who have influenced my life all in one room. The worst part was spending only 3-4 minutes with each friend, when I really wanted to spend 3-4 hours with each one! Anyway, it was a wonderful time!

Half Empty/Half Full

I suppose it's all in how you look at life. We're living in one of the most amazing times of spiritual insight, and simultaneously seeing great demonic darkness. Our televisions are filled with great praise and worship on a few channels, and filled with depravity on certain talk shows and sitcoms on other channels.

A scene from the very successful national production of "A View from the Edge", performed in Dallas, Texas this past weekend.

How are we as born again believers supposed to act in such a time as this? I Thessalonians 5:22 gives us the answer, "Abstain from all appearance of evil." We need to abstain from it. But what does that mean? It means not to watch it on television, nor read or view provocative material, or listen to music that is offensive to our spiritual man.

I think of the story of the man who could always choose the winning horse in the weekly horse races. For years, this same man would always choose the winning horse, and made a considerable amount of money doing so. Finally, upon his death bed, a friend asked him, "How did you always choose the winning horse?" The man replied, "I was the one who fed them".

On Monday, a very special time with friends and family as we celebrated the BIG ONE! My fiftieth birthday!

We have a spiritual man and a carnal man that reside within us. My friend, which one are you feeding? We view whatever we feel like watching, and listen to whatever we want to listen to, but then wonder why God doesn't speak to us. Forgive us, Lord, for wanting to compromise our lives to feed the flesh, and desire You simultaneously.

We must be devoted to the Lord and separate ourselves from evil and other things that want to draw us away from the calling that the Lord has put on our lives. Don't forget your purpose for living! Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

However, He will never force you to live a godly life. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and you're to be holy. He wants to inhabit this temple, and fill you with His glory that will be manifest to accomplish great things, but He isn't going to force you to do so. God wants to prepare you to use you for His Kingdom.

I had half a day, so I went with friends Amy Harriss (costumer from the U.S.) and Gabriel Benemann (from Brazil) to Teotihuacan, one of the largest pyramids in the world, just outside of Mexico City.

Even as He's preparing you, there are others who are being fit for destruction. Those who think they can get away with small sins, because they "know" God is a God of mercy. God is giving them chance after chance to turn their lives around, and is sending the Holy Spirit to encourage them to change. Unless they give their hearts to the Lord, they're destined for destruction.

Have you chosen whom you're going to feed? Your spiritual man or your carnal man? The choice is yours. God leaves the choice up to us. Don't live in the past, thinking that your past sins will influence your future. Your past does not equal your future! Believe that God can help you to overcome your past, and choose to live for Him in order to help the Lord accomplish what HE wants to do in these last days! In this way, you'll be living not only with your glass "half full", but running over!

See Ya'll Later!

That's Texan for "Goodbye". It has been so wonderful to be back in the States, and on Monday morning, I leave for Kiev, Ukraine to begin a new musical. I had a wonderful party and thoroughly enjoyed being with all my friends here in Dallas! May the Lord bless me with many more years to serve Him. God bless you, my friend, and let's stay in each other's prayers.

For the Kingdom,
Richard Montez