posted by Tony Coveny

Please click here to listen to moderator Leigh O’Dell share her thoughts on Abiding in Christ

posted by Tony Coveny

Please click here to listen to moderator Tony Coveny share his thoughts on Hebrew’s Chapter Seven

posted by Shelly

Today’s lesson was led by moderator Shelly Sanford where she discusses the parables of the tenants and the lost coin.

Click here to listen to a Podcast of the Believers’ Caucus Tuesday Morning Group February 16, 2010: Parables of the Tenants and the Lost Coin

Note: If you would like to download this audio to play on a mobile device, simply right click on the link above and click to “save as” on your computer.

posted by Tony Coveny

Philippians 4:4-9
Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. Let your moderation be known to all men, the Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do, and the God of peace shall be with you.

As we look back on the challenges of 2009, we are reminded of our weaknesses and our strengths. Looking to 2010, we have the words of Paul to remind us what it takes to stay the course and be faithful to God. Join us in making a concerted effort in 2010 to keep our hearts and minds centered on God and his purpose in our lives!

posted by Tony Coveny

Andy Birchfield led the Believer’s Caucus in a wonderful message, unfolding the Christmas Story in Luke’s Gospel. It was an inspiring and heart-felt message that encouraged us, through the example of the characters in that story, to focus on the gift of God! What a timely message only a couple of very short weeks before Christmas day!

We will now take a break until January 5th, when Shelly Sanford will lead the Believer’s Caucus in a study of what it means to be a believer in 2010.

Warmest Christmas Greetings!

posted by Tony Coveny

Leigh O’Dell, of Beasley Allen, taught this week’s Bible Study on the Seventh Chapter of The Acts of the Apostles. She brought out the beauty of God’s plan and the continuity of his message from creation to the coming of Jesus Christ. Many who lived during our Savior’s life and in the aftermath of His death and resurrection perceived the followers of Jesus as a new and different tradition within Judaism. When Stephen stood before the Sanhedrin, however, he showed them the continuity of God’s plan, and how the life of the Savior was not a novel bump in the road, but a carefully choreographed fulfillment of the writings of the prophets and a fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation. The lesson was timely and compelling, and reminded me of the reaction of many of my friends and colleagues over the years who have expressed the pleasure at reading this chapter for the first time. It is one of those lessons that are transformative. By way of analogy, it makes me think of the Christmas season where those of us with children often are required to assemble toys from bags and boxes of plastic parts. The pieces all appear random and a haphazard collection of plastic, metal and wood. But when the directions (the last resort) are utilized, the collage forms a beautiful little swing or bike or other toy that will bring joy (albeit fleeting at times!) to our youngsters. In much the same way, many who lived in the days of Stephen might have seen the life of Jesus through the channels of gossip and fragmented reports. Likewise, many had probably read the scriptures that foretold of Jesus through the lenses of their political or religious lives in such a way as to miss the connection when those very prophesies were being fulfilled right around them. I can only imagine the impression Stephen’s words had on many in the Sanhedrin—even of those who reacted angrily. Stephen was clearly moved by the Spirit, or his words would not have had such an impact—both then and now.

posted by Shelly

The Tuesday morning group for November 17, 2009, was led by Shelly Sanford and discussed Acts Chapter 6. The beginning of this Chapter sets out the custom of the Church in those days to collect money and distribute it among the poor — including the custom of taking care of widows by giving them some of the money collected daily. A complaint arose from within the church that in the daily distributions their widows were not taken care of as well as the Jewish widows. We are not told if the complaint is valid, but we do have a clear understanding from the text that the complaint was persistent enough to be addressed among the 12 Apostles. We are told that the 12 ask the multitude of disciples to elect 7 men of a particular character (good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, and available for the task) to take on this function so the 12 could focus on and continue with their calling to spread the good news of Christ’s salvation. These 7 are elected and the text gives us a particular account of Stephen — one of the 7 — and all that he was for Christ. Specifically, he is described as full of faith, power and the holy spirit and someone who did wonders and signs among the people. For this reason, his actions are brought to the attention of the Sanhedrin Council and Stephen was arrested and put on trial. We are told that the Sanhedrin gathered  witnesses to falsely testify that Stephen was speaking blasphemy against this holy place and the law and they had heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered. In the final verse of the Chapter we are told that “all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at [Stephen], saw his face as the face of an Angel.”

Some of the lessons drawn from this Chapter discussed among the group included:

1. The goal to follow the example of the Apostles and ask what roadblocks, barriers (or persistent complaints)  keep you from your calling in Christ?

2. The need to identify or be one of the fellow believers willing and able to undertake services within the fellowship of believers.

3.  As regards false testimony, to keep in mind that the Lord sees and knows what is false; untrue; a partial lie; a white lie; or a flat lie. The reaction of Stephen and the light of Christ within him was an example of the peace of the Lord inside him during these false accusations.

We ended the session with prayer and Proverb 18: 19 “The first one to plead his cause seems right, until his neighbor comes and examines him.”

posted by Shelly

Andy Birchfield, of the Beasley Allen Law Firm in Montgomery, Alabama, led the Believers’ Caucus Tuesday morning group today in lessons from Chapter 4 of Acts. In this chapter we see that the Apostles — namely Peter and John — were put on trial by the Sanhedrin after Peter and John had healed a lame man outside the Temple (Chapter 3). Faced with the very accusers who relentlessly pursued Jesus, Peter’s response was to boldly preach the resurrection of Christ. Peter told them plainly about Christ, who was the stone they rejected that has become the cornerstone. This was the same Peter who had denied Christ three times before Peter received the power of the Holy Spirit as promised by Christ and set out in the previous chapters in Acts. Andy’s message pointed us to Peter’s boldness and courage so that it would be encouraging to us in our actions, responses, and conversations.

Next week will bring a lesson on Acts Chapter 5 by David Miceli of the Simmons Firm.

posted by Tony Coveny

In our walk through Acts Chapter 3, Leigh O’Dell (today’s moderator from Beasley Allen PC) reminded us that the power of God, through the Holy Spirit, is what makes the difference in the Believer’s life. First, Peter and John were given the insight to see the suffering of a man they had probably passed hundreds or thousands of times on their way into the Temple (the man had been at the Temple gates every day since birth). This time, however, Peter and John had the eyes of God, as Brandon Heath wrote:

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see

But the episode in Acts Chapter 3 did not end with sympathy. God also gave Peter and John his power to work a miracle in the life of the man at the Temple gates—but only because in recognizing their inadequacy to do anything for this man they called on Jesus Christ and became conduits for God’s power.

This miracle was a transforming event in the life of this man . . . but even more so it served, by God’s design, as a platform for Peter to begin to share the Gospel with those around him:

9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11 While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong.

Leigh reminded us that the power and the conviction to share the Gospel comes from God, but also that Peter was prepared – or as she noted, “sitting on ‘ready’” to be used by God. He pointed to the Scriptures and called on all who heard him to repent. “By the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter became a man: 1) preoccupied with opportunity; 2) prepared to share the Gospel; and 3) positive about the Message.”

Pray that God would help you prepare today – that He would open your eyes, give you understanding of His power, fill your heart with praise, and equip you to convey the Gospel to those around you confidently and clearly.

posted by Tony Coveny

This morning, Attorneys from Alabama to California joined in prayer and the study of God’s Word. In our study of Acts chapter 2, we were reminded of the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives:
“I do not pray only for them. I pray also for those who will believe in me because of their message. Father, I pray that all of them will be one, just as you are in me and I am in you. I want them also to be in us. Then the world will believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me. I did this so they would be one, just as we are one. I will be in them, just as you are in me. I want them to be brought together perfectly as one. This will let the world know that you sent me. It will also show the world that you have loved those you gave me, just as you have loved me.” John 17:20-22
This was Jesus’ prayer on the eve of his death. It was fulfilled on Pentecost when the Holy Spirit, who descended upon Jesus when he was baptized in the river, descended upon the disciples. It settled on men and women just as it had on many who prophesied concerning the coming of Jesus—people in the Old and New Testament, including people like Zachariah (John the Baptist’s father) and Simeon and Anna in the temple. Now, instead of it being the rare gift of God to the prophets, this gift is available to all believers. Both the prayer of Jesus, and Peter’s words to the Jewish people in Acts 2, indicate clearly that the promise of the Holy Spirit was both to his immediate followers and to those who believe on account of their testimony—as Peter puts it, “to those who are far off . . .”
With this gift, we are able to spread God’s message to those around us—and to be heard. Acts chapter 2 speaks in many ways, but one of those messages is by analogy. Those who came heard the message in their own languages—in other words, the message of Jesus Christ is universal and for every person. It can be heard and understood, when delivered by a conduit of the Holy Spirit, by people of any race, generation, or creed.
We joined in prayer that each of us would be a conduit of the Holy Spirit.