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Cornerstone Communications
Croatia
September 01, 2008

Newsletter Contents

1. Greetings
2. VIDEO
3. Teaching for August…. Transferring Your Trust
4. Text from the Video (for those who’d rather read)
5. Closing

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Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings from Cakovec, Croatia! It is great to be back here, as my host and friend, Vlado Hoblaj, has the entire nation ready for our next production. In fact, he has been so organized, that we've already done one production just two days into my arrival! I want you to see all the miracles in Korea. Watch the video report.

VIDEO MESSAGE

AUGUST TEACHING

Transferring Your Trust

If I were to ask for a show of hands to the following question, “How many of you trust God with your life?” I suppose I would get nearly or exactly 100% positive response. And yet, we don't. We have been programmed to trust in ourselves. Paul speaks about this in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Paul is writing about two totally different ways of walking in this earth. One is according to the flesh (the world’s system) . The other is according to the spirit (God’s way of doing things) . Every decision of life boils down to a choice between these two systems. The challenge for us as believers is to get out of the world’s system for our provision and get over into God’s system. We’ve got to transfer our trust for the daily needs of life over into God’s kingdom.

Philippians 3:3, Paul writes, “…worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in the anointed Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” Having no confidence in the flesh is not just a reference to your physical body. Paul is talking about having no confidence or trust in the world system. In that system, people are educated in all of the right things to the point that they’re confident. “I’m capable of doing anything. I know I’m in demand.” But things start changing around us at any time. One day we’re in great demand; the next, nobody remembers your name!

“I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.” Philippians 3:8 “Did Paul just say what I thought he said?” When he talks about the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, this isn’t knowledge that just comes through the flesh, but knowledge that comes directly from the Lord. Yet, Paul uses the most graphic language to compare the world’s system of thinking to knowledge based on God’s system. He said that in comparison to revelation of Christ, everything else was “dung”.

That’s pretty clear, isn’t it? Paul was saying how he was not going back to anything he had trusted in the world. He laid aside any confidence he’d ever had of prospering in the flesh. That was the way the world prospered. No, Paul had found a different way. He listed all the things that the world had taught him to trust in to prosper in life. Then he made it clear none of these things could compare to knowing Christ.

Get rid of anything that stands in the way of you knowing and living by that anointing power that is in you right now. Cast out those hurts, wrong thinking and misplaced values from the world’s system that keep you from walking in God’s way of doing things. Get rid of the dung. Haul off the trash. Move the junk standing in the way of your relationship with Jesus Christ. You’re going to have to transfer your trust from whatever it is that you’ve been trusting in, over into trusting Him. And it’s not as hard as you think it is! It’s this easy: “What you think about all the time is what you trust in the most.”

If you’re trusting in God and making decisions based on a system that will not fail you, then nothing will intimidate you. Get in the place where you can honestly say you don’t need things that others have to make you happy because you’re walking in God’s blessings. You are fully content in the Lord! If you will transfer your trust, God will transfer His goods.

VIDEO TEXT

I left Kazakhstan and landed in Seoul, Korea. My luggage,however, was MIA, and would be lost for 3 days. Still, it was great to be back in Korea, as I feel so at home here, and the beautiful Korean landscape and weather made for a nice time. I was also excited to get to work on this project that we had been working on for one year.

Reality hit, however, as I realized that very little had been done to prepare for the show, including a place for me to stay! Mr. Lee, a real estate businessman, had graciously volunteered to help us. He found me a place to stay in a hotel near the air force base.

When I got here, almost nothing had been done, in one year! So, instead of working on the artistic side of the production, I found myself doing the work of the producer, and typing out several letters to different groups asking for help and for sponsorship.

The promotions weren't ready, nor was the theatre, nor the busses, or the support for the arriving American group, such as where they'd stay, what they'd eat, or how they'd get around and worse of all, not funds with which to work! We had a lot of work to do! To make matters worse, due to a change in military personnel, all the military support we were counting on was gone. We were essentially starting over, with no time. Next, I got an e-mail from a woman who is supposed to be heading up the children's choir. She decided to drop out because she didn't have time. The show was falling apart around me! It was a desperate first week!

At the same time, the Lord was at work. Mr. Lee, who for some unknown reason, was helping us, as I had never met him prior to this trip. He introduced me to some pastors in the area, so that I could present my case for the production.

Pastor Nelson Chapman of Songtan Baptist let me speak to the church to recruit children, and the parents came through. Pastor Jeremy Rodgers, shown here, also from Songtan Baptist Church, helped in so many different ways.

I went with Mr. Lee to the Yi Chung Cultural center, and we signed off on it. Imagine, we had no financial support for busses, or for the theatre, or for a hotel! We were asking favors from everyone!

It was finally time for my American actors to arrive, so Sasha, one of my Ukrainian sons, joined me at the airport, and met them. It was so good to see them, and to escort them to the hotel. We had a short meeting, then we went to eat a typical Korean meal, and let them sleep.

The next day we visited Yoido Church, and I was able to greet my friend and wife of Dr. Yonggi Cho, Kim Sungae, and take a tour of the church. After lunch, the actors went to take a tour of Gyoung Bokeung Palace. We came home and let them rest. Monday, we would begin our work. I taught them the staging for show in just 3 days! It was finally time to move in to the theatre, and we were excited. All the curtains, the sets, the lights, the sound and the workers, and yes, the cast and myself were all scheduled to arrive at 9 a.m.

When we got there, we were not allowed in. Apparently, the letter granting us permission to use the theatre from City Hall never came. The man who issued the letter is on vacation, and the letter cannot be found, and until it is, we cannot use the theatre. So, we were outside.

I had the actors pray and I then shared with the group the trouble I had in Kazakhstan, and how we were stopped from setting up the day before the show. I told them that this was happening to us, so we needed to pray through.

Just as we stood to do spiritual warfare, Mr. Lee walked in and said, "Everything's fine, you can go set up!" It was so perfectly timed, that it looked staged! Thank You, Lord! We spent the day setting up and practicing on the stage and getting the kids ready for the show. The children had done a great job learning 3 songs and dances in just 5 days!

The Day of the Show was finally here. That morning, I prayed, and prepared. So, we began our run through, and everything went surprisingly well. Everyone was dressed and ready to go early. We were ready, but more importantly, we were spiritually ready as we had spent all week in worship and prayer.

The Friday night show was beautiful, although we had mic problems the first performance. The audience was smaller than expected, but they were enthusiastic and complimentary.

The cast spent time on Saturday shopping in many Korean stores looking for souvenirs to take back to the States. On Saturday night, the show went off well, and good thing, as it was being being recorded for DVD. The group sounded great and looked great! The confetti cannons and the balloon drop went off well! The military men and women who attended the show loved it!

Everyone was sooo happy with the show, especially me! I was happy, because the show was beautiful, the Lord was glorified, and, as one of the unofficial producers of the show, we had enough to pay everyone! That was great! We took cast pictures, and then took lots of individual shots. I was so proud of the group. We went to dinner afterwards to celebrate.

I am thankful to Jim Dunnet for inviting me, and to Mr. Lee for coming to our rescue. The Lord provided for 100% of all our needs! Thank You, Lord. The next day, Sunday, was our last day together. Had the time really gone that quickly? I thanked my precious actors. I fell so in love with this small group of artistic warriors.

I said goodbye, and was escorted to the airport by dear friends Gretle, David and Sasha. They took me to the airport, and I hugged them goodbye, and flew on to Moscow, then onward to Croatia, where we we would hold auditions on Monday and Tuesday as well as cast the show, Wednesday we set up for a performance of “JS” for the citizens of Zapresic, Croatia.

We had a large enthusiastic crowd ready for the show to begin, and true to the Lord's nature, He came through and helped us with a beautiful show,even though we had NO rehearsal! Afterwards, I was able to challenge the audience during the Altar Call, and the people responded beautifully to the message of the Gospel.

Hvala, Bog!

That's Croatian for “Thank You, Lord!” The Lord was so gracious to come through time and time again in Korea, and I'm so thankful to Him for His love for each of us, particularly me. My prayer is that you will see that ultimately, this report isn't about what the Lord did in MY life, but rather, what He can do in YOUR life as you trust Him with those impossible situations facing you at the moment. Please drop me a note sometime and let me know how you're doing. God bless you!

For the Kingdom,
Richard Montez