The Consuming Fire and the Holiness That Comes Down
By Bradley Gray
10/02/25
23mins

The Consuming Fire and the Holiness That Comes Down

He doesn’t consume us, even though that is what we deserve. Instead, Jesus comes down to us and consumes all our sin by taking it on himself.
When Pastors Are Abused by Their Congregations
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
10/01/25

When Pastors Are Abused by Their Congregations

This article is the first part of a two-part series. The second part will take a look at when pastors abuse their congregations.
An Excerpt from Untamed Prayers: Psalm 123 and Psalm 136
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
09/30/25

An Excerpt from Untamed Prayers: Psalm 123 and Psalm 136

The following entries are excerpts from Chad Bird’s new book, Untamed Prayers: 365 Daily Devotions on Christ in the Book of the Psalms (1517 Publishing, 2025), pgs. 311 and 335

All Articles

Chad Bird
Chad Bird
09/11/18

What Have You Done for God Lately? Too Much.

If I were the devil, I wouldn’t just entice believers to do bad things. We’re experts at that anyway.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
09/08/18

Do I Even Matter in this World?

As every nail that Jesus hammered was a delight to his Father, so every email you send, every purchase you ring up, every table you wipe down, is a delight to the Father.
Gretchen Ronnevik
Gretchen Ronnevik
09/04/18

Grace for When You Can't Forgive

She was my friend, walking through marriage troubles. Her husband was unfaithful to her, with the technicalities and carefully drawn lines of “not technically sex” and justifying himself, which had wounded her deeply.
Ken Sundet Jones
Ken Sundet Jones
09/04/18

Learning the Cycle of Gospel Proclamation

True preaching arises when the Holy Spirit steeps the proclaimer in its own cycle of judgment and mercy.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
09/01/18

Scandalous Church Stories Not Reported This Week

Early in the church’s life, some Christians were dragged before the city authorities in Thessalonica and accused of “turning the world upside down,” (Acts 17:6). They were guilty as charged. They were turning the world upside down. Or, rather, they were putting the world right side up.
Dominick Santore
Dominick Santore
08/30/18

Grace Twists Braids

I saw a beautiful picture of grace yesterday. A real bestowing of favor on someone less deserving.
Joel Hess
Joel Hess
08/29/18

Who Did Jesus Marry?

Did Jesus ever marry? Yes, He married you!
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
08/28/18

Failed Saint, Faithful Savior

Christians have long enjoyed an absurd love affair with white-washing biblical saints.
Robert Kolb
Robert Kolb
08/24/18

Every Preacher, A Translator

Prechers translate as a calling. Called by God, they are given a message, and for most of their hearers it is to one degree or another a message in a language from afar, with strange concepts, sometimes with a more familiar ring, sometimes with a strange sound.
Paul Dunk
Paul Dunk
08/20/18

The Envelope

A father dies and leaves an inheritance to his two children, Jane and Grace. The family member handling the estate gives them each a letter containing the cheques for their inheritance.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
08/19/18

How to Become a Very Bad Person

Don’t say you’re beyond hope, for there is not one beyond God. Don’t say you’ve done too much evil, for there is no wrong bigger than God’s heart of forgiveness.
Ken Sundet Jones
Ken Sundet Jones
08/15/18

A Look at True Proclamation of the Gospel

The Confessions instead look forward and provide a critique of the world and of all my various religions and idolatries.
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