The Sobbin’ Women by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we come to the end of our series. We learned last weekend about the Benjamites standing in opposition to the rest of God’s people. As a result, the people of God took an oath not to give the Benjamites their daughters in marriage. They propose a solution, albeit an unsavory one. This is a reminder that women are held in high regard by Scripture and everywhere the gospel has gone, the status of women has been elevated. With this being the week of Christmas, it also draws our attention to Mary and how she was being treated unjustly. The title of this weekend’s message is “THE SOBBIN’ WOMEN”.
Hired Gun by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we are coming to a big shift in the book of judges. The era of the judges has ended. The people have gone off the deep end. We will soon see the lasting ramifications of the people’s disobedience and their disdain for God’s correction through the judges. This setup is eerily similar to what we are facing in our world today. The title of this weekend’s message is “HIRED GUN”.
Wanted by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we are continuing to work through the account of Samson. Samson’s downfall took the form of Delilah, a woman being forced by her people to betray Samson. The Philistines were desperately trying to overcome Samson’s might. When God is using someone mightily, it irritates those who are against God. As with every moment of Samson’s life, there is an even deeper truth here that points toward Christ. The title of this weekend’s message is “WANTED”.
Truce by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we are continuing our study through the life of Samson. Samson made what appeared on the surface to be questionable choices. However, when we understand the culture of that day and the circumstances in the book of Judges, Samson’s choices not only make sense but he is presented as the hero he was always intended to be. This even affects how we view communion. The title of this weekend’s message is “TRUCE”.
Outgunned by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we are continuing our study through the life of Samson. Samson’s strength was perplexing to his enemies, meaning he did not look the part of a strong man. His strength came from the Lord, and it was evidenced in his displays of power. Much like Samson, when we are made weak, then God has the opportunity to make us strong. This is not of our own power or might, but the power of God in us. The title of this weekend’s message is “OUTGUNNED”.
Shootout by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we begin to study the life of Samson. A popular figure, Samson is often portrayed as a cautionary tale. However, there is much we can learn from his life and his fighting against the Philistines. He clashed with them several times, even provoking them to battle at times. How does that affect our understanding of Samson and his status as a judge? We’ll examine this and more in our message titled “SHOOTOUT”.
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 […]
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.”
Strays by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we will enter into the transitional period between Deborah and the next judge, Gideon. The tribes of Israel all made excuses as to why they couldn’t show up to fight Sisera. After the time of Deborah, God called Gideon as the judge; however, he was very reluctant to step into the calling that God had for him. We often respond the same way to God’s call, full of excuses and trepidation. The title of this weekend’s message is “STRAYS”.
Calamity by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we will examine the story of Deborah. Her story is often presented as one of the examples of the Bible elevating women, and certainly, that is true. However, as we will learn this weekend, there is much more to her than just being an example of God working through women. This weekend’s message is titled “CALAMITY”.
Bull-Headed by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we are taking a look at the cyclical nature of sin in the book of Judges. Repeatedly, God’s people fell into sin, suffered the consequences, and were delivered, only to go right back to the same sin! Times may have changed, but God’s people still have this same problem of returning to the same sin over and over again. This weekend’s message is titled “BULL-HEADED”.
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.”
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: Rerouting by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we will have a bonus message in our series. As we have been learning, many of you have expressed that you wish you had known this earlier. The same is true for me! However, we serve a God of mercy and second chances. There is hope even after making a wrong turn in life. We examine these issues and more in this weekend’s message titled “GPS REROUTING”.
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”.
GPS: Destination – Career by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we will be looking at how to determine God’s plan for our career. This is often a question for people, either when they are graduating and embarking on the next chapter of their lives or when they feel dissatisfied with their current job. Is it possible to know God’s will regarding your career? Does what you do for a living play a role in your relationship with God or vice versa? We will examine these questions and more in this weekend’s message titled “GPS DESTINATION: CAREER”.