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
09/27/16

My Favorite Dirty Word in Church

You became, for a time, ritually unclean. Not sinful. Not immoral. To be unclean meant you bore in your own body the effects of a creation in bondage to decay.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
09/23/16

The Beast of "Should" at the Zoo

All our little laws reveal that we are, by nature, trying to justify ourselves before others, and before God, based on what we do and who we are.
Matt Popovits
Matt Popovits
09/22/16

Fear, Love, and Facing Big Decisions

Not long ago I was having a conversation with a friend. She was facing a big decision about her career with a deadline looming for a decision.
Larry D. Hughes
Larry D. Hughes
09/20/16

The Comfort and Assurance of Eternal Election

We find such a temptation when the devil causes us to question God’s election or predestination of us in “eternity as a past event” (i.e. “eternity-past”).
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.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
09/15/16

Will Believers Be Judged? Thoughts from the Weirdest Parable Jesus Told

We fly away to the judgment seat of God. There we shall appear before the One who knows all, before whom nothing is hidden. Do you really think you can conceal anything from Him?
Paul Dunk
Paul Dunk
09/15/16

Tremors Of Grace

For those of you unfamiliar with the Richter scale, our friends over at Wikipedia define it as a 1930s invention that "is a base-10 logarithmic scale, which defines magnitude as the logarithm of the ratio of the amplitude of the seismic waves to an arbitrary, minor amplitude."
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
09/06/16

But What If I Don't Believe The Gospel Is For Me?

So, what do we do when someone doesn't believe God's promise of forgiveness, life, and eternal salvation is for him?
Brian W. Thomas
Brian W. Thomas
08/30/16

What's The Big Deal About The Liturgy? (Part 5: The Role of Music in the Church)

Music is an inherent part of our humanity as image-bearers of God. And like all gifts, it is meant for the good of the receiver.
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
08/24/16

Interpreting Reality Through Redemption

If you know me in the least, then you know of my fondness for the 2010 film Inception.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
08/23/16

The Wrinkling Clock: The Irony of Calendar Girls

The flower of youth, as lovely as it is, cannot withstand the hot winds of time. There is a beauty, however, that remains.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
08/17/16

The Danger and Delight of Happiness

In happiness, we dare never forget that it is Christ, and Christ alone, who has restored our joy.
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