Overcome by Abidan Shah, PhD
As we end one year and look to the beginning of another, I want to preach a series of messages that will help set the tone for our church family not only in 2025 but also in this new phase of our church’s life. It can be easy to focus on the difficulties or challenges of life. However, through Christ, we have all we need to not only survive adversity but to thrive in God’s perfect plan. The title of this weekend’s message is “OVERCOME”.
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”.
Venomous by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we are continuing to look at the circumstances surrounding the birth of Samson. There is so much that foreshadows the birth of Christ; very familiar language and similar details. This also shows how children are relentlessly under attack, especially today. There is a very real agenda behind most of the media we consume that seeks to completely misguide our children and destroy their lives. But just like we learned last weekend, this too is an old problem. We’ll unpack this and more in our message titled “VENOMOUS”.
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 […]
Steer by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we will encounter the next judge in Israel’s history: Jephthah. An enigmatic character, it is difficult to look at the circumstances of his life and determine how he can be the good guy, as we have learned the judges are in this series. However, Scripture includes him in the hall of faith listed in Hebrews. What can we learn from Jephthah’s life? We’ll unpack this and more in our message titled “STEER”.
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”.
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.”
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?”
Till He Comes by Abidan Shah, PhD
Communion is something that is often misunderstood or dismissed as unimportant. Typically, this is because people are unaware of the significance of communion, especially as it relates to how we live the Christian life until Christ returns. We will examine this and more in this weekend’s message titled “TILL HE COMES.”
GPS: Guidance by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we come to the end of our series. We will focus specifically on the relationship view of God’s will. How can we perceive God’s guidance in our everyday lives? The Bible is clear that God leads us, but what does that look like and how can we know we are listening to the right source? We will answer these questions and more in this weekend’s message titled “GPS DESTINATION: GUIDANCE”.
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: Ministry of the Thorn by Abidan Shah, PhD
This weekend, we come to our final message in this series. We have learned about the difference between stress and trauma and how to help others, especially children and teens, through traumatic events in life. This weekend, we will talk about the purpose of suffering itself. God used suffering in Paul’s life to refine and sharpen him, to give depth to his message, and to make him more like Christ. The title of this weekend’s message is “INSIDE OUT: MINISTRY OF THE THORN”.