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Cornerstone Communications
Korea
December 28, 2006

New for 2007! Click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gemUcNY5zSE for a Video Greeting from me!

Dear Friends & Family,

Greetings for the last time from Seoul, Korea! I pray that you were able to enjoy a wonderful Christmas with loved ones around you. Christmas was a harried event here, as we worked right up to the holiday with our production, and then found ourselves furiously spending Christmas Eve getting ready for "the big day". So, I haven't had a second until today, three days after Christmas, to finally sit down and write you!

Now Entering the 21st Century!

Now that we are well into the Twenty First Century, I thought that I'd now enter it as well! I've been praying how to "update" my Updates that I send you, and I have the answer! My dear friend and spiritual son, Igor Putina, who is attending Hansei University here in Seoul, has created a special program that will allow me to send a personal greeting on each of my newsletters, beginning NOW! Simply click on the link above, and you'll instantaneously see FIRST HAND what is happening wherever I am. I hope you enjoy this new feature.

After a successful production, the cast and crew, along with some American military personnel (200 who have made our shows a part of their Christmas tradition), pose for the camera.

Successful Premiere!

A dream of mine was finally realized: a show I have had on my heart for 8 years has now been written, been directed, choreographed and staged, and now, of all places performed at Yoido, the world's largest church! Thank You, Lord, for allowing my dream to become a reality!

On Thursday, December 21, we opened "A Night of Miracles" to a very enthusiastic crowd. The cast was exceptional, the performances went off extremely well, and best of all, the Lord was glorified, and the 7,000 audience members nightly responded to the message of the show. It was 3 "nights of miracles", and I'm so grateful to the Lord for all that He did to allow this production, which was cancelled TWICE, to finally make it to the stage.

To watch "snippets", please go to www.fgtv.com and on the first screen, click on the FGTV letters, and then on the second screen, click on FGTV (on the left of your screen, with the TV icon next to the woman's picture) . A video of announcements should begin. If you'd like, use the slider to move the announcements to "4:00" which is where our piece is being spoken about. Enjoy!

I had a chance to challenge the audience after the performance. Helping me is friend, interpreter and stage manager, Cho Il Hwan.

Giants in the Land

Seen any giants lately? No? Look again! They're everywhere! I'm not talking about physical ones. I'm talking about spiritual ones. There are situations in each of our lives that are threatening to overtake and conquer us. Your giant could be regarding your health, or your finances, a family struggle, problems threatening your career, or an assortment of others too numerous to mention here.

I Samuel 17 tells of the account between a champion warrior among the Philistines named Goliath, and a shepherd boy from Israel named David. Goliath boasted in his abilities, and in his power to overtake the Israelites. He was arrogant. The enemy, the devil, is the same. He uses fear and intimidation to scare us and make us run.

There is an amazing and overlooked act in this story of Goliath's boasting: Up to now, besides talk, nothing had happened! This is a FRESH revelation to me! This "giant" was going on and on verbally, and the Israelites believed him, and were terrified. They were talking defeat, and there hadn't even been a fight! It was their fear that caused them defeat before the fight even began. When you become paralyzed with fear, you're defeated before you even begin to handle the situation.

My dear friend, president of Hansei University, and Dr. Yonggi Cho's wife, Kim Sunghae and I have a meeting discussing 2007's schedule.

Spiritually, have you figured out that the enemy is doing the exact same thing? He is hinting, and whispering of every possible negative thing that is going to happen to you and to your family. He knows that if he can keep you in fear, then you will be in confusion, and not think about God's Word. It's in this strategy that you will be defeated. You are trying to figure out what to do in the natural.

Verse 26 says, "And David spoke to the men that stood with him, saying, ‘…. Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?'" David didn't allow himself to be overtaken by fear, for his focus was on what God can do! He went to on to say in verse 32, "Let no man's heart fail because of Goliath. I will go and fight this Philistine."

Goliath was arrogant, but David was confident. Another revelation: the FIRST thing the giant actually did... he was defeated! He finally stopped talking and cursing, and went to "prove" how powerful he was. The rest is history. When he finally went to fight, he was defeated almost instantaneously... and that by a young boy, David!

The devil may seem confident in his strategy to overcome you, but he's not confident, he's arrogant! What's the difference? Arrogance is when you're relying on your own strength. Confidence is when you're depending on God's strength. Goliath said in verse 43 "I'm going to give your flesh to the fowl of the air…." David said in verse 45, "You come to me with a sword and spear, but I come to you in the Name of THE LORD…" and in verse 47 "… for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands." Goliath was arrogant, but David was confident.

David got 5 smooth stones from the river, put them in his pouch, and when the time was right, he took one, put it in his sling and attacked the giant. The 5 smooth stones are F-A-I-T-H, found in the river of life…. God's Word. Put them in your pouch…. your heart. When the time comes to attack the enemy… run towards him, take some of that faith that you have stored in your heart, and put it in the sling… your mouth. Hurl that Word at the enemy, and watch him stop in his tracks… and fall. The enemy can talk all he wants, and indeed, if your focus is on him, then he looks like a giant. However, when your focus is on God, the enemy doesn't look that big.

Me skip Christmas? No way! Even with the crazy schedule, and the show running up to December 24, there's always time to share Jesus' birthday with friends and loved ones...my cast!

I remember a story a friend shared: "I saw 3 visions: the first was a giant demon, attacking a small man. The man pulled out his sword (the Word) , and conquered the demon, but with great difficulty. The second vision a demon attacked an man of the same size. The man pulled out his sword, and though there was some struggle, the man conquered the demon. The final vision a small demon attacked a giant man. The man, tempted to use his foot to step on the demon, used the sword, and with little effort, conquered the demon."

My friend, this man is YOU. The demon is the same problem. The first time, it looks so overwhelming, that you just can't imagine how you're going to win. Using the Word, you struggle through, and amazingly…. Win! When that devil comes back at you with the same lies and intimidation, use the sword and win. You'll notice that every time after that you're confronted with that problem, the problem gets smaller and smaller.

My favorite saying is, "Life is 10% fact, 90% attitude". Okay, so some of the problems really are there. BUT! It's only as big as you allow them to be! Some think, "Well, you don't know how big my problems are. You must not have very big problems if you think you can so easily dismiss them..." Friend, that's the very thing that will keep you in defeat. By the way, you don't know what problems I'm facing. If you only knew.........

Back to my message! The more your focus is on God, the smaller the problem is. Or, the more your focus is on the problem, the smaller your faith to overcome it is. It's your choice! So, what will it be for 2007? Will it be Victory? Or defeat? Choose to be a "giant slayer", and see the new year filled with God's deliverance in your life!

Sehe Pok Mani Padeh Seyo!

That's Korean for "Happy New Year!" I have loved being in Korea once again, and I will truly miss it. I wish you and your family a very blessed and joyous new year as we say a fond farewell to 2006 and eagerly await all that the Lord has in store for us in 2007. May this new year be a year of great blessing and prosperity for you! God bless you!

For the Kingdom,
Richard Montez