Happy New Year - Almost!

December 28, 2018 – Hello to you my friends.  Sunday is the final Lord’s Day in 2018!  The Burleson's certainly have traveled a long way since this time last year.  Cindi and I are so very thankful to be members of the Lord’s church at Harding Street in our home town of Morrilton, Arkansas.  This time last year we lived in Louisville, Kentucky, 540 miles away from you and from our children and grandchildren.  I was preaching at Watterson Trail in J’Town.  Cindi worked as Director of Compliance and Risk Management in Jeffersontown, Indiana.  We had no idea of the changes that would take place in our lives in only 12 months.  Today we live in Morrilton, Arkansas in our own new house.  I am the new minister and one of the elders at Harding Street.  Cindi is an instructor and the Director of the Center for Insurance and Risk Management Studies at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.  And most importantly, we live only 18 miles from our children and grandchildren.  I stand completely amazed and marvel at the ways and purposes of God in life.  What will 2019 hold for us, for my family and yours, for the church of Christ at Harding Street?  The answer to this question I cannot even fathom to imagine considering what I have just written about 2018.  I do know this.  God will provide the answers to our questions, the solutions to our problems, the healing to our hurts, and the strength, wisdom, and help when we need it.  In the sermon time on Sunday (30^th) we will consider what we should focus as our PRIORITY ONE in this new year, 2019.  

Adam and Eve had their unique responsibilities in Genesis 2.  Moses and the Israelites were given the 10 Commandments in Exodus 20.  Solomon wrote about “the whole duty of humanity” in Ecclesiastes 12.  Micah wrote the three things that were most important to God in Micah 6.  Jesus was asked about the “first commandment” in Matthew 22.  He answered this question and then proceeded with the second and then taught about the intensity of His command in John 13.  What is our task today in this new year?  What should be our PRIORTY ONE in 2019?  Come this Sunday at 9:00 a.m. to see.  Simple.  To the point.  Come to Jesus.  Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.  Live in trusting faith in Him. 

Thank you for the confidence you have placed in Brother Bill Brice, myself, and Brother Charles Camp as your eldership.  We will give our all to live out the sermon you’ll hear preached today.  I hope that we will unite together as one congregation of the Lord’s people to Teach as Jesus taught, Love and Jesus loves, and Care with the same passion and principle that Jesus cares for His church and for the lost.  Everyone can use a little “TLC” every day.  Let’s make it our aim to show and share TLC everywhere we are with everyone we meet starting right now.

Every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. right after the morning worship hour we have Bible study sessions for all ages.  Our children are learning so much from God’s word.  Our teens are learning about righteousness from Abel, courage from Caleb, faith from Timothy, humility from Ruth, discipline from David, duty from Esther, compassion from Joseph, friendship from Jonathan, responsibility from Josiah, sacrifice from Jesus, bravery from Joshua, and service from Samuel in a series entitled; “You Don’t Have to Be Old to Be Great.”  I’m teaching the class and please parents of our teenagers; make sure your teen has the opportunity to be a part of this very important study. 

God bless us as we finish out 2018 growing the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.