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Cornerstone Communications
Romania
January 09, 2008

Newsletter Contents

1. Greetings
2. VIDEO
3. Teaching for January â€" Living In the FOG
4. Text from the Video
5. Closing

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Dear Friends and Family,

Happy New Year from Bucharest, Romania! Actually, it’s been two weeks of celebrations. I have been celebrating Protestant/Catholic Christmas in South Africa in December, celebrating New Year’s in Kiev, Ukraine, and celebrating Orthodox Christmas in Bucharest, Romania. I’ve had to quickly adjust from a very moderate summer temperature in South Africa to extremely cold temperatures in Kiev and Bucharest. Still, it’s been wonderful to be back among friends here in Eastern Europe.

Moldova Cancellation

Actually, the month of January is supposed to be spent in Kishenau, Moldova. However, the church there cancelled the production for various reasons. I almost filled it again with another country, but the Lord quickly stopped me. “You have a month off. Take it and enjoy it.” So, I have a glorious month to myself. Actually, it will be spent catching up on tax reports, studies (I’m taking some online classes) , and tons of other little things that have had to slide to take care of the productions. I’m sure you can relate!

VIDEO MESSAGE

JANUARY TEACHING

Living in the FOG

I enjoy what I do. God has called me to use my gifts to serve Him. It’s a blessing to be able to have the opportunity to work with so many of my international brothers and sisters in the Lord as we put on a production in their country. However, that didn’t just happen by accident. It happened by me learning to walk in the FOG.

What’s the FOG? The FOG is the Favor of God. Psalms 30:5 says, “God’s favor is for a lifetime”. It’s something that is available to every believer. Yet, few truly understand that it is reserved for them. You can expect the FOG when you don’t have the same educational advantages or training that others have.

Psalm 41:11 says, “I know that you favor me, because my enemy does not triumph over me.” When you’re in close relationship with the Lord, He causes even your enemies to be at peace with you. That doesn’t mean that life is without struggles. We’ll always have trials, because that’s how we mature, that’s how we grow stronger in our faith walk. But ultimately, God clears a path that allows us to do what we’ve been called to accomplish.

Sadly, many don’t understand that they can enjoy that blessing. They somehow feel that it’s for certain believers, but not for them. My friend, this message is for YOU! The best way to understand God’s blessing over you is to open your Bible, and start underlining EVERY verse that speaks about blessing. This has helped me so much to understand just how much God loves me. If you’ll do that, you will be amazed how much underlining you have done! I claim all the blessings, because that’s God love for me.

Now, understanding His zeal to bless me, I can also see clearly when the FOG has come on me. I can clearly see that I am allowed to do certain things that others can’t. As I flew from Korea recently, I had 4 carry-on bags! Anyone who has ever flown just knows you can’t do that! I had 6 bags, and could only check 2. So, the rest went with me.

I went to the counter and showed them my bags, and they said, “Normally we don’t allow that, but go ahead”. You see? That’s God’s favor! Some people are quick to “chalk” that up to coincidence. Fine. They can. I’d prefer to give God the thanks and praise for His help in my life. The secret I’ve learned is that the more I thank Him, the more I walk in the FOG!

We know that reading God’s Word and seeing His desire to bless us helps us understand His favor, but also, we must ask. Daily I go before our Lord and ask Him for Wisdom, for Favor and for Love. All are supernatural gifts. Sure, we all have these in part, but I don’t want the natural gifts. I want the supernatural gifts. However, “You have not because you ask not”.

Why does God bless us with His favor? Yes, because He loves us, but more importantly, it’s to allow us to work in His Kingdom. I’d be remiss to teach that it’s all because of His love for us, without understanding that He has an important agenda He wants fulfilled. The FOG over us is to allow us to accomplish tasks that will ultimately expand the Kingdom of God. That’s my heart, to bless the Lord, and to make sure HIS will is done. Is it yours?

Ask the Lord today for the FOG, and realize that it’s not just for you, but it’s so that you can be a blessing to Him. He’s so worthy of our every praise, our every move, and our every prayer.

VIDEO TEXT

Happy New Year from Bucharest, Romania! What a change of scenery, and especially temperature! It’s freezing here! I spent Christmas in South Africa, New Year’s in Kiev, Ukraine, but right now, I’m here in Bucharest speaking at a bible school. Here is a short report of all that the Lord did in South Africa.

I had left Korea in November and had flown to Port Elizabeth, South Africa. It’s wonderful to be back to this wonderful, and especially warm Christmas season!

One of my favorite things is to go to a lion farm, where cubs have been adopted by humans after having been rejected by their lion parents. Here, they are well cared for. And they’re oh, so cute! Just take a look at that face!

The show would be hosted by dear friends, Pastors Jimmy and Marianna Crompton, head of Word of Faith Christian Centre. I’ve done many shows here, so it feels like home. cast shots

We went right into auditions the same day I arrived! We had a great turn out, so we had a good cast for the musical, “Two from Galilee”. We wouldn’t have a lot of time, so we would begin rehearsals immediately.

I love the beautiful surroundings of Port Elizabeth, as it’s on the southernmost tip of Africa, where the Indian and the Atlantic Oceans collide. The scenery is just breathtaking.

We immediately began rehearsals, and started staging the show. I would also choreograph the numbers, and teach them to the actors.

We didn’t waste anytime promoting the show, and posters immediately began to spring up. We needed to get the word out. Billboard displays near the church also helped us get the word out. I was interviewed by several radio stations about my work, but I use the time to promote the show.

Rehearsals continued, and I worked with the actors on things they’ve never done, like certain dances, certain lifts and although they were a little nervous at first, they did amazingly well! I continued to instruct, to teach, and yes, to push! Yet, my wonderful actors always listened, and always obeyed me. There’s a crown in heaven awaiting them!

At the same time, the sets were being built, and great progress was being made, thanks to a wonderful saint named Franklin Oosthuizen, who took the project head ON. After long, the sets began to be painted, and we were well on our way!

Each year, the church hosts a Carols by Candlelight service that is very popular. Everyone comes to participate, and it’s just a beautiful time. The church trusted me to help with the decorations and the overall program. It was an honor.

We were now in the final week, and things were pretty hectic. I had lots of notes for the actors, and so I refer to my script quite a bit. I taught the actors their final few things to learn, like the curtain call, and we were now set. Now, just a matter of cleaning what they’ve learned.

Dear friends, Jeff Latham, the head of the Praise and Worship, and Fenlin Pitie, the Minister of Music at Word of Faith, were great blessings and were there to support anything that needed to be done. We had flying angels, so we had to test the harness and the rigging motor to make sure everything worked fine.

Finally, it was showtime! The actors had prayed, and we were ready to open. The show was beautiful, and the audience loved the story, especially the beautiful nativity scene at the end of the show. Hearts were touched, and we saw so many people give their hearts to Jesus Christ. What a fitting way to spend Christmas! Receiving Jesus into your heart! I had the privilege of helping with the altar call.

After our final performance, I positioned the cast for pictures, and we had a photographer take great shots of the actors and of the crew. Had one month really gone by so quickly? This group of strangers just one month ago were now a family. Thank You, Lord.

My host family, Phillip and Yvette Georgiu prepared a scrumptious dinner on Christmas eve. It was truly a feast fit for a king! The King of Kings! Christmas was filled with the traditional gifts, music, laughter, exchanging gifts and hugs, and of course, a colorful Christmas tree!

I was sad to be leaving Port Elizabeth, but I was thrilled with the results. We had accomplished what I had hoped to accomplish. Souls were saved by another musical. Thank You, Lord for blessing our efforts.

I flew on to Johannesburg, and there I transferred planes bound of Europe. I flew on from Johannesburg over the entire continent of Africa, and into Zurich where I transferred planes and went on to Kiev, Ukraine. I had a cold winter blast awaiting me, but also dear friends with warm hugs to greet me.

Blagoslavit Vas Bog!

That is Russian for “God bless you!” I’m grateful to the Lord for all He did in 2007, and I’m anxiously waiting to see all He has in store for 2008. Undoubtedly, there are more miracles in store for all who trust in His Name. I am certainly one necessary recipient of such miracles and blessings! God bless you, and please drop me a line and let me know how you’re doing!

For the Kingdom,
Richard Montez