Sightings by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we will look at the precursors to Samson’s life. His parents had an encounter with the angel of the Lord, who is much more than just an angelic messenger. Throughout the Old Testament, we see glimpses of the pre-incarnate Christ interacting with God’s people. What does this mean for our understanding of Scripture? How does this affect our view of Jesus? We’ll unpack this and more in our message titled “SIGHTINGS”.
Act of God, Man and the Devil by Abidan Shah, PhD
ACT OF GOD, MAN, AND THE DEVIL by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson, NC Introduction: The social media videos and pictures from Hurricane Helene will stay with us for the rest of our lives. It has been especially sad for Nicole, our kids, and me to watch them because for the past 22 years, we have […]
Imposter by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we learn about Gideon’s successor, Abimelech. He played the part of a leader of God’s people, but he was a power-hungry charlatan. God’s people disobeyed as a result of his leadership and suffered the consequences. The Holy Spirit of God wants to put us on to accomplish God’s work but will not work through someone who is faking their faith or going through the motions. The title of this weekend’s message is “IMPOSTER”.
Misjudged by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we will continue to look at the life of Gideon. He is often regarded as a coward or opportunist because of his asking God for a sign, disciplining some of his people, making an ephod, etc. However, Gideon is never condemned as a coward or opportunist by Scripture. In fact, he is praised as a faithful judge over God’s people. This weekend, we will learn why this misconception takes place in our message titled “MISJUDGED.”
RAID by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson
This weekend, we will continue through the story of Gideon. By trusting God for the victory, Gideon and his 300 men defeated the Midianite army. There was no question that the battle belonged to the Lord, with him supernaturally confusing the enemy forces. But as with every story from Judges, there is a deeper connection to the narrative that God had been writing throughout history. The title of this weekend’s message is “RAID.”
Under Tribute by Abidan Shah, PhD
This is strikingly similar to the story of God’s people through the book of Judges. There is a cyclical nature to the narratives within the book that show God’s people failing to remember what God had done for them and what he had commanded them to do. The sinful cycle of disobedience has occurred in countries like England and, if we do not take action as believers, can occur here, too. The title of this weekend’s message is “UNDER TRIBUTE”.
Homestead by Abidan Shah, PhD
In this weekend’s message, we will pick up the account of Caleb promising his daughter, Achsah, to Othniel as a result of him clearing the land of enemies. Achsah and Othniel were able to come together and build something for the future, but there is a deeper truth about who Christ is for us to uncover in their story. The title of this weekend’s message is “HOMESTEAD.”
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we will examine the beginning of the book of Judges. God’s people are tasked with driving out the enemy nations from the promised land. Through every battle, we are able to see God’s hand delivering enemies over to the children of Judah. The book of Judges reminds us that God is with us in fighting not just physical battles, but spiritual battles as well. The title of this weekend’s message is “THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY.”
Who Will Be First by Abidan Shah, PhD
We are diving into a new series this weekend on the book of Judges. This book is filled with stories of men and women who, like American cowboys, are bold, peculiar, and compelling characters that are inspiring or serve as cautionary tales. They are examples of God using men and women to change the lives of those around them. This is the calling God has placed on all of us! Our new series is titled “WHO WILL BE FIRST?”
GPS: Relationships – Part 3 by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we will continue to examine God’s plan for our relationships. We have talked about the wisdom in searching for God’s will in our relationships as well as the criteria to look for in a future spouse. However, we must also understand the role we have to play in this process. How much is God responsible for and how much are we responsible for when it comes to looking for your significant other? Join us as we answer these questions and more in this weekend’s message titled “GPS DESTINATION: RELATIONSHIPS PT. 3”.
GPS: Destination – Relationships – Part 2 by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we will continue to examine God’s plan for our relationships. Last weekend, we looked at the wisdom view in finding God’s plan for the person you date and who you will marry. Now, we need to determine the criteria for the person we are looking for. What is a core value, what are essential, and what are non-essential traits? God’s word will help us uncover all of this and more in this weekend’s message titled “GPS DESTINATION: RELATIONSHIPS PT. 2”.
GPS: Relationships – Part 1 by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we will be examining how to determine God’s plan for us regarding relationships. This is a common question, especially among teenagers and young adults. Does God have a plan for who you date and eventually marry or are there simply general principles to guide us? We will examine these questions and more in this weekend’s message titled “GPS DESTINATION: RELATIONSHIPS PT. 1”.
Inside Out: Growing Pains by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we will turn our attention to the kids and teenagers in our lives. The Christian life is not only about us making it through difficult times. We are to help those around us as well. This is never truer than with the young minds that God has entrusted to us. Our next installment in this series is titled “INSIDE OUT: GROWING PAINS.”
Death Dethroned by Abidan Shah, PhD
As we begin our series this weekend, we will look at ancient Egyptian culture and customs regarding death and the afterlife compared to what Scripture teaches. God’s Word reminds us that death is not a natural part of life, but an enemy to be defeated. As we approach Easter, we will learn what it means that Christ was victorious over death and the implications for our daily lives. This weekend’s message is the introduction to our series “DEATH DETHRONED.”
Tracking: Target by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we will examine the end of Peter’s list of characteristics to track as you grow closer to God. It is no coincidence that the list ends with love. While we might know that love is important in the Christian life, we likely do not realize the role it has to play in spiritual discipline. What is the significance of these different traits all leading to love? We will find out in this weekend’s message titled “TRACKING: TARGET”.
Tracking: Level Three by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we come to the conclusion of Peter’s list of components of our spiritual life. Peter lists these characteristics as markers of God working in our lives, evidence of the Holy Spirit refining us and making us more like Christ. The question is: will we allow this process or fight against it? So many times, we are tempted to resist God’s prompting and do our own thing, but God has called us to a life of obedience. This weekend’s message is titled “TRACKING LEVEL THREE”.
Furnish by Dr. Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we will continue our study of 2 Peter as he lays out for his readers the process of sanctification. Often, we are just haphazardly making it through the Christian life, trying anything we think will work and will bring us closer to God. What we don’t realize is that the things we are trying to force to work in our favor actually end up hurting us. We must allow God to refine us and remind us that Christ is the one who will help us navigate life. The title of this weekend’s message is “FURNISH”.
Table of Nations: Conclusion by Abidan Shah Ph.D.
We have been in our series titled “TABLE OF NATIONS” as we have examined the genealogies of God’s people through the Old Testament. On every page of history, God has been in control. These genealogies ultimately point us to Christ, the promised Messiah and savior of the world. The genealogies of Jesus present in the gospels show God’s providence throughout the ages and remind us that God is in control of our lives. The title of this weekend’s message is “TABLE OF NATIONS: CONCLUSION.”
Table of Nations: Part 4 by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we come to the conclusion of our series. As we have seen, God’s hand has been on the lives of his people throughout Scripture. We will be following the descendants of Shem, Noah’s son, and will see how God guided the events of history leading toward the birth of Jesus. Since before the foundation of the world, God has been working to bring salvation to mankind through his son, Jesus. The title of this weekend’s message is “TABLE OF NATIONS PART 4”.
Table of Nations: Part 3 by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we will continue to examine the generations that followed Noah and their movement through the ancient world. One figure loomed large during that time in history: Nimrod. His desire for power and conquest made him a notable figure in his day. Despite his military prowess, his reign ended, and his influence along with it. Christ, however, still reigns eternally! The title of this weekend’s message is “TABLE OF NATIONS PART 3.”