TCC PRAYER OF NEW YEAR
The Beginning and the End Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Isaiah 41:4 Who has performed and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? “I, the LORD, am the first; and with the last I am He.” Isaiah 44:6 Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: “I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God.” Isaiah 46:9-10 Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.” Isaiah 48:3-5 I have declared the former things from the beginning; they went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass. Because I knew that you were obstinate, and your neck was an iron sinew, and your brow bronze, even from the beginning I have declared it to you; before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you, lest you should say, “My idol has done them, and my carved image and my molded image have commanded them.” Isaiah 48:12-13 Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last. Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand has stretched out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand up together. Isaiah 48:16 Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord GOD and His Spirit have sent Me. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 1 John 1-3 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life-- the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us-- that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and, "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea." Revelation 2:8 And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, “These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life. . . Revelation 22:12-16 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star." PRAYER: Our Father in heaven, With God the Son, And God the Holy Spirit, In this new year we begin with You As the beginning of all things outside Yourself, And we look to You as the ending of all things. We confess that we are alive on earth For only a short time, And we depend on You For our beginning, Our present, And our end. We who truly believe in Your Son, Jesus Christ, Who formed us according to Your eternal plan, Will glorify Yourself by Your work In and through us, as individuals, And as a congregation of Your people. We confess that You have preserved us Through the trials and triumphs of the past year, And You will continue to maintain us in this world, So long as You will to use us to testify to Your truth, Your grace, Your love, Your justice, Your mercy, Your faithfulness, Your power; You will fold us safely in eternal blessedness With You and all Your saints. We also confess that we have all too often lived As if we came about by cosmic chance or human will; As if our present and future well being depends on our own Material resources, Strength, And ingenuity. We repent this morning of such blasphemous presumption, And we ask Your forgiveness And Your renewal of our minds By Your Word. We abase ourselves before our Triune God And exalt and extol You as the One Who created all things by Your Word; Who provided Reconciliation with You, And eternal life And victorious resurrection Of the Lord Jesus; Who assured all of us who believe In Jesus as Lord and Savior That we will rule and reign with Him O God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, You alone are God. You alone are eternally The Alpha and the Omega, The Beginning and the End, The First and the Last. And now, early in this New Year, By Your Word and by prayer, Sanctify our minds to consecrate ourselves to You At the beginning, during, and at the end of Every day, Every endeavor, Every statement. O Triune God, Whatever we may be in Trinity Community Church- Pastor, Elder, Deacon, Missionary, Sunday School teacher, Youth leader, Musician, choir member, technology helper, Community group leader, Prison ministry helper, Awana leader, Nursing home ministry helper, Member of Christ’s Body, witness for Christ- Whatever may be our service for You, Help us every day of 2010 To commit ourselves to You in holiness As the God who eternally holds Us and our time, even in this hour, Through our Pastor’s teaching of Your Word, And through the songs and prayers of this service, Make us know in our hearts That every moment of 2010 You are the Beginning and the End. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, The Alpha and the Omega, We pray, Amen. Dr. James R. Mook
Revelation 1:7-18 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribles of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
Confess that You,
And, in heaven
And in the future Kingdom of Messiah on earth,
Redemption,
Through the sacrificial death
On and over the earth forever.
And in every moment of time,