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

Bror Erickson
Bror Erickson
02/15/17

The Get Down

Today, people often bemoan the loss of children in the church.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
02/07/17

God's Word of Law and Gospel

But when God's Word of Law and Gospel are tuned up, when they're properly distinguished, then Jesus' words rain down on us like thunderbolts.
Bruce Hillman
Bruce Hillman
01/24/17

Spitting on Jesus

Last year, a friend I follow tweeted, “Calling yourself a sinner is spitting on all the work that Jesus did to make you a saint.”
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
01/16/17

Law-Abiding Citizens

Among the things that perturb me about modern Christianity is our residual clinging to a sort of “Christian-karma.”
Paul Dunk
Paul Dunk
12/12/16

Grace Came Down

God coming to us at Christmas encapsulates the essence of Christian faith: we don't make ourselves strong and then work our way up to a strong God.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
11/30/16

Gospel Phobia

If the devil took over a church, I suspect it would be bursting at the seams every Sunday, with smiling faces, clean noses, straight morals, conservative voting, institutional fidelity
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
11/23/16

Why Is God Punishing Me?

It was Jesus who appeared to Hagar, comforted her, and gave her the promise of future blessings. It was Jesus who came to her when it seemed everything and everyone else had let her down.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
09/20/16

Discovering God in the Ugly

We see someone driving a fancy car, owning a big home, having healthy children and an attractive spouse. Instantly, almost without a second's thought, we assume they are successful. Life is good for them.
Dominick Santore
Dominick Santore
09/19/16

Put Your Trust in Jonah

No, that is not a typo. I am telling you to put your trust in this Old Testament prophet. I want you to look at him and be assured of God’s love for you.
RJ Grunewald
RJ Grunewald
08/19/16

Calling "Bull" On Theology

It’s time to call bull on a theology the dominates Christianity.
Larry D. Hughes
Larry D. Hughes
08/09/16

The Reality of Sin, Death, and Forgiveness

When we explain away God’s Word, we jettison the reality of our ominous diagnosis in the “Thou shall/shall nots” of the law, and with it the sweet cure in the, “This is My body/blood” of the Gospel.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
07/30/16

The Sign Said, "Just Kill Me."

One thing is for certain: my day was heaven compared to his. My minor headaches nothing compared to whatever he was going through.
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