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
12/28/15

The Plastic Jesus: Reshaping Christ to Meet Our Expectations

Isn’t it strange how the Jesus we end up with bears such a striking resemblance to ourselves? Our Jesus thinks as we do, acts as we act, speaks as we speak.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
12/28/15

Graveyard Lullaby: O Bloody Town of Bethlehem

O bloody town of Bethlehem, How shrill we hear thee cry. Your mothers shriek while fathers weep The graveyard lullaby.
Erick Sorensen
Erick Sorensen
12/25/15

And the Darkness Has Not Overcome It….

It had just been a few weeks in my friend’s life since he had been converted to the Christian faith. He was very much still learning the ropes of what it meant to be a Christian.
Bonnie Petroschuk
Bonnie Petroschuk
12/21/15

Upside-Down Kingdom

On that night in Bethlehem so long ago, not even your mother who held you in her arms understood that you had come to turn the world upside down in a through-the-looking-glass sort of way.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
12/18/15

Two Pregnancies, One Hope

The mother of this prophet is visited by the Mother of God. In the coming together of these two pregnant women, we see the coming together of the old and the new.
Paul Dunk
Paul Dunk
12/17/15

Minimizing Our Healing

700 years before the first Noel, the prophet Isaiah prophesied that Christ would bear our grief and deliver us in grace. Scholars often refer to Isaiah 52:13-53:12 as the "fifth gospel" because it describes both that Christ was crucified and why Christ was crucified with incredible detail.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
12/16/15

Rusting Chariots Found at the Bottom of Baptismal Fonts

He has Israel right where he wants them: a body of water in front of them, their enemies behind them, and God above them, ready to save. Our Lord is always undoing us that he might redo us, killing us that he might enliven us.
Bonnie Petroschuk
Bonnie Petroschuk
12/16/15

The King is Dead. Long Live the King!

While reading Matthew chapter 2 where the story of the Three Kings, Wise Men, or Magi is found, I was captivated by the part King Herod played in the story. Herod, who had befriended Mark Anthony and Octavius, had been given the rule of Palestine and was crowned King of the Jews.
Dominick Santore
Dominick Santore
12/14/15

When You Don't Feel Merry

Please... don’t say any variation of, “cheer up.” or “look on the bright side.” Don’t invalidate what someone is going through because you may not understand.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
12/13/15

The Romance of Heresy and Christmas

What every heresy does, in one way or another, is ungods God, unchristens Christ, uncrucifies the Crucified. It strikes through the good of Good News.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
12/09/15

The Christian Polytheist

There is truly only one commandment and only one sin. That one commandment is “You shall have no other gods,” and that one sin is idolatry.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
12/08/15

Power in the Blood

But I remember that that’s how it ended. Words. Wine. Blood. A sudden halt to the conversation.
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