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
01/02/16

Ill-Conceived: Pinpointing When Our Lives Went Wrong

What is it about David’s life, and this psalm, that make this so fitting a place to utter this dire pronouncement of humanity’s corruption?
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
11/27/15

Six Words to Inscribe onto Your Heart

There has only been one baptism in the history of the world: the baptism of Jesus. “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.”
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
11/21/15

When It Comes to Sin, Does Size Matter?

It doesn’t matter how good you seem to be, you’ll always be able to find someone who seems better than you. We’re addicted to comparing, measuring, quantifying, and judging.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
11/18/15

A Sinning Church with a Preaching Problem

We are a sinning church with a preaching problem.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
11/17/15

From Hitler’s Wolves to Christ’s Lambs: The Chaplain to Nazi War Criminals

What makes this story remarkable is that this man, along with others hanged that day, was among the most hated men in human history. He was guilty of atrocities so horrific only words forged in hell could adequately describe them.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
11/02/15

Attaching a Résumé to Our Prayers

We are fond of attaching our own résumés to our spoken or unspoken prayers. “I thank you, Lord, that I am not like other men, such as that lying, pathetic, husband named Abraham.”
Bonnie Petroschuk
Bonnie Petroschuk
09/30/15

The Desires and Intentions of Our Hearts

“God doesn’t care about the intentions of your heart!” I said a little too loudly and emphatically.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
09/25/15

The Saddest Words Ever Spoken to a Sinner

Jesus said it would have been better for this man not to have been born. Shocking words, sad words. But they are not the saddest words in Scripture.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
09/03/15

Meet the Righteous Man Who Couldn't Do Anything Right

As it turns out, all finger-pointing amongst sinners is in vain. Every transgressor just happens to screw up a little differently than you do.
Erick Sorensen
Erick Sorensen
08/24/15

The Reconciliation of Ashley Madison

What he meant is that man is searching for something, but he knows not what. All of us do the same in some way or another. We reach out to find something that we think just might fix us, something that will fill the void that sin has created within.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
08/18/15

The Story of Sodom Is About Much More than Homosexuality

In the rest of the Scriptures, Sodom and Gomorrah became emblematic of cities, nations, and indeed a world that steadfastly refuses to believe in the God of mercy and truth and justice, and instead follow their own hearts.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
07/08/15

Learning Theology in the Devil’s Classroom

My best teacher, the instructor who taught me more theology than any other, has been the devil.
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