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No More Fear

No More Fear

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No More Fear – Amber Dillman

Posted by: | on November 12, 2013

Hiya peeps.

You can rest assured that I have survived the first week living with 2 guys… I will say it has been super interesting. But I will give them credit for dealing with my craziness. :)

The beginning of this week we studied the poetical books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Songs of Solomon. In Job we looked at how faithful Job was towards God in the midst of crazy trials and we saw some insights on how the enemy works.

  • Satan is accountable to God, so he must ask God before he does anything
  • Satan’s dark mind is an open book to God, so God knows everything he is trying to plan
  • Satan is behind the evils that curse this earth
  • Satan is not omnipresent (He can only be one place at a time), nor omniscient (He is not all-knowing)
  • Satan cannot do anything without God’s permission
  • God’s eyes are ALWAYS on his own children

Then when we got to psalms we looked at Psalms 22:

“I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. –Psalm 22: 14-18

It was cool that it was explaining Jesus dying on the cross over a thousand years before!!!!

Then we studied about the lovely P31 Woman (Proverbs 31)

  • She is a good Woman: She works diligently (v:13,15,19); She contrives prudently (v:16,22,24); She behaves uprightly (v:25)
  • She is a good Wife: She seeks husbands good (v: 12); She keeps her husbands confidence (v:11); She aids his prosperity (v23, 24)
  • She is a good Mother: She clothes her family wisely (v:21); She feeds her household well (15, 27); She shops sensibly (v:14-18)
  • She is a good Neighbor: She helps the poor (v:20); She uplifts the needy (v:20); She speaks graciously (26)

“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.” Proverbs 31: 30

 

This week I was dealing with a lot of anxiety and fear of what is going to happen when I return home. So studying the Psalms, where God gives us a lot of promises, has helped me a lot to trust in Him and Him alone. Later in the week we watched a sermon by Eric Ludy that God really spoke to me through.

He pointed out that when satan tries to give us evidence and gives us doubt we have to give him the evidence of what God says. That we don’t celebrate doubt we give them FAITH. And then the 6 motives satan tries to use on us:

Pollution
Tiredness
Distraction,
Anxiety/Fear
Anger/Frustration
Doubt.

So we need to start looking at the Facts:

The Word of God
The Promises of God
The Nature of God (Who He really is, based on scripture)

Instead of our Experiences:

Feelings/Emotions (How we feel about something instead of how it really is) 2 Corinthians 10:5
Appeal of Anxieties (Letting the worries of life overtake us) 1 Peter 5:6-11, Matt. 11:28, Matt 6:33-34
Appeal of Lethargy (Allowing laziness and tiredness to consume us)
Appeal of Grievance ( Using life experiences and painful situations as an excuse to deny God’s truth)

So God has been really faithful pointing me in the right direction and showing me that the gospel, which is the truth, isn’t some big complicated thing that the church makes it out to be. All we need to do is trust in what His Word says and follow him with everything we have. We need Him to give us a new heart of obedience and repentance, changing our wicked ways and allowing Him to lead us in His Way, which is so much better than anything this world could ever give us. So I encourage you to really read what God has to say and just test Him because His Word tells us that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness WILL be filled. He sent His Son to come to give you true hope. He took your place dying on the cross and taking the wrath we deserve from God so we could spend eternity with him. That is True love right there. (Check out John 15) All I wanna do is share this with you cause I wouldn’t want anyone to ever miss out on true compassion and love.

Anyways that’s all from this week, Love you all!

– Amber

New Creation

New Creation

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New Creation

Posted by: | on November 4, 2013

Hi wonderful friends!

I am glad to tell you in this blog post how much God has been working in my life in these past two weeks.  God has really been showing me how much I depend on this world and other people instead of depending on Him. I saw how much I was letting me and God’s relationship fade and that I was going off of my own strength and not letting Him have control. So last weekend I decided to give my entire life to him and I was baptized at beautiful beach.

This week was Gospel week. We all wrote down what we thought the gospel was. I learned how it’s more than Jesus coming to earth and dying for us and rising from the dead. Here is a link you can watch that really hit me and caused me to see what the gospel really is:

http://youtu.be/nPIOkdNL-QQ

We have been studying through the 4 gospels, comparing the different points of view in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and how they perfectly line up together. I was amazed to see how many different prophecies Jesus fulfilled and how the chances of every single one of them being fulfilled by one person is absolutely impossible….but Jesus fulfilled them all!

Here are just a few:

-He was to be of David’s family.
(2 Samuel 7:12-16; Psalm 89: 3-4)

-He would be born of a virgin. (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14)

-He would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)

-He would sojourn in Egypt
(Hosea 11:1)

-He would live in Galilee
(Isaiah 9:1-2)

-He would live in Nazareth.
(Isaiah 11:1)

And there is so much more but I would be typing forever. The other two girls interns that were here with us left to go back to America and I’m stuck with 2 guys, but it’s been nice having more time to rely on God completely. He has really been forcing me to trust him in everything. I can say that I trust him and I know that he will use all these lonely times to teach me to spend time with just him. But if y’all could be praying for us that he would guide us in our studies and that he would continue working in our lives it would be very much appreciated!

Love y’all.
-Amber

Live It Out

Live It Out

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Live it out – TyGuy

Posted by: | on November 4, 2013

This past month has been great God has and is continuing to work in and through us. We are going though Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. My favorite book is John. I love reading all the stores that he gives us. If you have time READ John 6. I love when he talks about that he is the Bread of Life and he live in us.  Like in John 6:56 (Jesus is talking) and he says, ” he that eateth my flesh, and that drinketh my blood, dwells in me, and I in him. I can’t wait to see what God is going to do in the next 2 months.

-TyGuy

Interns: Round 1

Interns: Round 1

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Posted by: | on September 20, 2013

Interns: Round 1

 

Hello Everyone!

As I sit on the patio of the new mission house of Relentless Ministries I cannot help but simply marvel at the grace and glory of our God. It is absolutely incredible how, in His sovereignty, He has “moved mountains” and ordained our steps, making clear His path in regards to this ministry. I am now seeing more clearly that the mountain tops in our lives would lose their magnificence and splendor if not for the contrast of the deep valleys. This is definitely a mountain top time and God’s glory and majesty is so vivid. It is incredible to think that only 8 months ago this ministry was only a dream, an idea to trust God to take people who are not wise in the world’s eyes and use them to accomplish His purposes for His glory. In January we had no idea where, when or how this mission and discipleship program would come to be, but in faith we stepped out and prayed and asked God to give us faith that provokes His faithfulness.

I am so excited to inform you all that not only has God provided a location, finances, and His vision for this ministry, but most importantly He is providing the people He wants to be here. As of October 1st, the first 4 people to come to the Frontline Discipleship Program will be arriving! Praise God! It is amazing hearing the stories of how God has stirred each one of these four people’s hearts to take a step towards following after Christ. Please join us in lifting up these disciples before they arrive and during their time at Relentless.  Please pray as you are led by the Holy Spirit and we would ask for your prayers in these specific aspects as well:

  • Pray for God’s will to be accomplished in their lives
  • Pray their trust would be in Christ alone
  • Pray for transformation of their hearts and minds
  • Pray God would reveal Himself to them through His Word
  • Pray that God would reveal to them the spiritual gifts He has for them and what their role is in the Body of Christ

 

Thank you, God bless you and may He be glorified through His work here in Costa Rica!

– Tyler Burke

Yuca Update

Yuca Update

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Posted by: | on July 31, 2013

These past 2 weeks have been crazy busy but absolutely amazing! We have distributed yuca, prayed with and fed close to 600 families located in 5 different areas surrounding San Ramon! Praise God! There have been families that literally had nothing to eat and were so thankful. We have had the opportunity to pray for the sick, the lame, the deaf and the hungry. So many situations that could have only been setup by our Almighty God. Thank you to all who are praying, those who have donated and to the Miller family, the Johnson families, the Stones, Marjorie Zuniga and the many interns and others who have been a part of the harvest for, distribution of and prayer with families! May God bless you as much as you have blessed us and the least of these among us! We have raised $1700 so far! Glory to God!

To help us feed families in Costa Rica or Panama, click the button below.

 

Donate

Our purpose at Relentless Ministries is to love others as Jesus loves us and as He commands us.  We are committed to the people of Costa Rica and Panama who are not only in need physically and materially, but most of all in need spiritually.  We appreciate your prayers and support.  If you are interested in helping us to help others by providing work, training, discipleship, food, shelter, and all with the ultimate purpose of sharing the love of Christ, please prayerfully consider donating to allow us to continue the work that The Lord has called us to.

Click ‘Donate’ below to launch our secure online donation system. We are able to accept all major credit cards, eCheck, bank and PayPal balance transfers.



*Please note that Relentless Ministries is NOT a 501c3 registered organization and as such, your donation is NOT tax deductible at this time.

Update Letter

Update Letter

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Posted by: | on July 7, 2013

Dear Sponsors,

I can’t thank you enough for your prayers and financial support over the past year that I have been working with Pura Vida Missions. It has been a huge blessing as you have made it possible for me to continue in full-time ministry. There have been a lot of things happening and some big changes I wanted to fill you in on.

The first six months of this year have been very busy! Pura Vida had its biggest spring yet with 10 teams from January-May. One of my favorite stories from these groups comes from the very first team of the year. On Wednesday night the Spirit of God fell so heavily during our evening service that it continued for 2 hours longer than usual! The group of high school students were praying scripture over each other and another group was singing psalms. One of the boys soon came up on stage and asked if he could say something then proceeded to preach an absolute Holy Spirit led word over his team. While this was happening one of the girls from the team, who had voices telling her to kill herself, was being delivered from evil spirits. The peace in her eyes, which had not been there before, was so captivating and it was such a beautiful testimony of what God had accomplished. The teams that followed continued to bless and minister, not only to the Ticos and one another, but also to us as the staff.

Now to tell you of some big but wonderful changes in my life! God has been stirring in my heart over the first 6 months of this year to step out and to do something beyond my abilities; to have faith. But this faith he has been asking me to grasp is not only faith to believe He is who He says He is, but also faith to believe He can do what He says He can do! He has been asking me to have faith that provokes His faithfulness.

Ok so what is this step of faith? Well God has been showing me that every disciple (follower of Christ) has been given a command – a commission to go and teach all nations, to baptize in His name and to instruct others in the ways of Jesus. This is the Gospel. Suddenly He made me very aware of my selfishness, as I saw that I viewed the Gospel as something just for me, and inward focus. Not that the Gospel isn’t meant for each and every one of us as individuals, but he was showing me that in order to grow as His disciple, the next “footstep” is to follow in His steps to make disciples. So I started thinking, “how can I make disciples? I am not qualified, I don’t know enough, how can I teach others what I am still trying to figure out?” Then I could sense Him telling me the same words He had said to Moses and Joshua – be strong and courageous, as I am with you and I will teach you; trust me. From that point a vision started to develop more specifically; an idea that God had place in me at fifteen years old. It’s an idea that God has been shaping and forming through many trials, difficulties and times of training. The culmination of “level one” of my training process has now been completed through all he has taught me at Pura Vida Missions.

This Dream is called Relentless Ministries.  This dream builds upon what my family has been doing together for many years and I have been given an opportunity to take it a step further.  It is a ministry fueled by an international discipleship program for graduating high school seniors and college age students. Here students will not only be in an environment to go deeper in their faith through prayer and intensive study of the Word of God, but it will also be a place where their faith will be tested and put into action. This will be a ‘frontline’ training ground, out of which I pray God will raise up missionaries to go into other nations. As I stated previously,  this is only the fuel to the flame.  These disciples, through their individual gifts and talents, will be partners in ministry as together we design outreach events and join together with other ministries to find ways to meet the overwhelming needs of the people in Costa Rica. My prayer is that God will bring all kinds of people: dancers, preachers, musicians, teachers, artists, photographers, mission majors, athletes, translators, construction workers and most important above everything else, people with a passion for Christ.

So the next question that I asked God was where? Where are we going to start? I don’t own a house or have a mission. In complete confirmation God responded in a way I could have never imagined. At the same time our very good family friends with God’s assistance decided to move to Panama.  They offered their home as a mission site here in Costa Rica and presented an amazing offer to make it possible to accommodate the ministry from their home! God never ceases to amaze me! Praise God! He is so faithful!

I am so in awe of God’s hand through out this whole process and His great faithfulness to answer our prayers! In these months of transition I will be living at my parents house preparing everything that goes into launching this new ministry. During this time I will still be leading worship with Pura Vida Missions and hope to continue partnering with them in ministry for many years to come. The official launch date and opening of the mission house is September 1st. At this date we are praying and believing God will stir 6 people into action to come and join us in the Frontline Discipleship Program. Please be praying for my family and I in this time of preparation that we would remain in prayer as God leads us through the development of this new adventure!

Please check out the new website for more info, prayer requests and don’t forget to subscribe to the latest updates: www.relentlessministries.org

If you would like to support Relentless Ministries or any of our current programs financially it would be greatly appreciated and we would love to commit to praying for you as a staff.

You can donate be going to: http://www.relentlessministries.org/donate/

Thank you so much, God bless you and please come visit soon!

Your Brother in Christ,

Tyler Burke

July 2013