Finish Strong

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. 

2 Timothy 4: 1-8 NKJV

Dear friends of Come Rest,

Some of you know I have rooted for the Green Bay Packers football team since 1965. If you are not a football fan, hang in there with me for a moment. This past Sunday afternoon the Packers dominated the defending champs Seattle Seahawks for 56 minutes of the 60 minute contest. Yet, the Packers collapsed the last four minutes and missed the victory which would have propelled them to the Super Bowl. Their season is over. It was heartbreaking for many Packer fans. The Packers did not finish strong. As a younger fan, I may have been shocked and depressed. As an older fan, I’m was simply shocked.

I felt the Lord immediately remind me what’s most important. He wants us to finish, not be “fan-ish”! The word “fan” is short for “fanatic.” The Lord isn’t looking for fickle fanatics, but faithful followers. He isn’t about attracting fair weather fans, but adopting fruitful children. He isn’t about drawing intense spectators, but developing invested sons and daughters. He wants us to finish strong in His Spirit’s power, not weak in our will power.  I believe with all my heart that 2 Timothy 4:1-8 is the Lord’s “now word” for you and me this week…and the rest of our lives.

I have been reading this week in 1 & 2 Kings and 1&2 Chronicles. Of course there were so many kings who blew it from the start, and some who began well but fell away quickly. But what is so heartbreaking is the kings of Israel and Judah who began well, prospered in the Lord for many years, but did not finish faithful to the Lord for different reasons:

1. Practicing idolatry, inviting evil. (Solomon in 1 Kings 11)
2. Relying upon man for national security & personal health (Asa in 2 Chronicles16)
3. Partnering with the ungodly, tolerating immorality. (Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20)
4. Fighting battles willfully ignoring the Lord.(Josiah in 2 Chronicles 35)

We need to seek His face in the light of His flaming heart every present moment of each precious day He gives us. We can’t do it on good intentions and will power. We can only do it through resting in His Spirit’s power through His word, prayer, and each other’s love and prayers.

Please join me in prayer right now, and invite others to join you by forwarding this email on to others…

“Come Holy Spirit. Father, we repent of worshipping anything but You, thereby inviting evil ; relying upon man for our security and health instead of You; partnering with ungodly people and tolerating any hint of immorality in our lives; and fighting battles willfully ignoring Your voice. Help us make the necessary changes You want us to make in our daily lives. Help us guard our lives completely from Satan and surrender our lives completely to You. We will enter Your Rest and bear Your Real Fruit in 2015 like never before. You will help us neither turn away or fade away. You will help us burn bright and finish strong--awaiting the return of our Lord Jesus according to 2 Timothy 4:1-8! In His name we pray, Amen!”

There are many hills, valleys, and hairpin curves ahead. Avoid a heartbreaking crash through heart “braking” surrender to Him. Stay on track. Let Him help you finish strong!

Love and blessings,

Richard Speight

Come Rest Ministries

Personal Retreat

Please note

(This retreat was postponed because of illness and is now being offered this coming week)

Jan. 28^th    9am-4pm

Rehoboth House 2125 Bever Ave SE, Cedar Rapids, IA

Requirements: Pen, bible, notebook, your copy of our book

REAL FRUIT, and your wholehearted desire to come rest in Jesus!

Cost: Freewill Offering plus $18 for book which may be purchased at retreat

Space Limited-- Lunch provided

Those interested must apply at jkadlec@ImOnMail.com.  

******************************

COME REST MINISTRIES’

AWAKENING OF LOVE

FRIDAY, FeB. 6^th      630-930pm

River of Life, Cedar Rapids

Worship, teaching, testimonies, prayer.

                                             Bring a friend!     

Register at the door; freewill offering; refreshments.

******************************

UPCOMING EVENTS

Jan. 25^th            845am    Speights teaching Come Up/Secret Place Class at River of Life CR

6pm       Men’s & Women’s Wellsprings Covenant Groups at Rehoboth

                        7pm       I58 Cross-denominational House Fellowship at Rehoboth

Jan. 28^th                        9am-4pm Come Rest Personal Retreat; apply at jkadlec@imonmail.com

Feb/March       TBD     Speights ministering in Aplington, West Union, & Fayette, Ia.

Feb. 6^th                         630pm    Come Rest Awakening of Love@ River of Life, CR               

Feb. 18^th           9am-4pm Come Rest Personal Retreat; apply at jkadlec@imonmail.com

Feb. 20^th           630pm    Come Rest Awakening of Love @ Calvin-Sinclair, CR

Mar. 6^th                         630pm    Come Rest Awakening of Love @River of Life, CR

Mar. 18^th                       9am-4pm Come Rest Personal Retreat; apply at jkadlec@imonmail.com

Apr. 25^th                       Speights ministering at Laddusaws’ Gathering in Wittemore, Iowa

Apr. 26^th           Speights ministering at Presbyterian Church, Burt, Iowa

Apr. 30-May 2   Come Rest Ministries’ 3 Day Rehoboth Wellsprings Gathering (Place TBD)

We thank each one of you for your continued financial support! We ask each supporter and

participant to ask the Lord how much He wants you to give regularly to Him for His work

through Come Rest. Ask your church to consider Come Rest in their mission giving. We

are indeed a unique ministry to the Body of Christ and beyond! We pray for more people

benefiting from this ministry giving more money more regularly as He leads!

Blessings,

Dick and Kim Speight

***********************************************

Come Rest January 2015 Response

___My prayer request is__________________________________________________

___Yes, Lord! I will make my life Your Resting Place in 2015!

___Yes, Lord! I will pray for Come Rest Ministries.

___Yes, Lord! I will financially support Come Rest Ministries.

Today’s gift $______________

___Yes, Lord! I have enclosed $100 for the “COME REST” Reprint Fund.

___Please send me ____copie(s) of the “REAL FRUIT”

                        1/$18; 2/30; 5/$60. $4 ship for 1 plus $1 per additional copy

___I will cast seeds in my city by giving away REAL FRUIT as the Holy Spirit leads!

            ___Send me 10 copies for $100 plus $10 ship. 

___Please send me __copie(s) of Come Rest CD 1 “Meditations with Dick Speight”

___Please send me __copie(s) of  Come Rest CD 2”Reflections on His Real Love”

            $8 each plus $2 ship; $12 for the set of 1&2 plus $3 ship.

Name__________________________________________________________________

Address_________________________________________________________________

Email__________________________________Phone___________________________