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

Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
09/25/18

I’d Never Go to That Church

Would you go to the church on the corner knowing that the pastor is an ex-con?
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
09/14/18

Seeing Samson's Cross-Eyed Reflection

For the past twenty years that I've been a Christian, I've not found any evidence in my reading of Judges 13-16 that qualifies Samson for the "book of faith" (Hebrews 11).
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.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
08/03/18

We Don't Need "Worship Options" on Sunday Morning

The church is a home for the family of God. It’s not a mall, a café, a coffee shop, or Amazon. It’s where we usually don’t get what we want, but what we need.
Joel Hess
Joel Hess
07/26/18

Why Church is For You

All other wonderful teachings of Holy Scripture from creation to Christ’s coming again are absolutely worthless without being understood in light of Jesus, death, and resurrection for sinners.
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
06/14/18

The Paradox of Pastoral Preaching

At times, evangelical Christianity can be a paradox. For as much as Protestants have spurned Roman Catholicism, they’re much more Catholic than they’d ever like to admit.
Scott Keith
Scott Keith
06/11/18

Preach Christ, Not About Christ

There is a difference between preaching about Christ and preaching Christ.
Bob Hiller
Bob Hiller
06/01/18

The Real Threat to Our Preaching

Many Christians are worried—perhaps legitimately—that the state is a short step away from turning the Law of God into hate speech and silencing the legal preaching of God’s Word.
John T. Pless
John T. Pless
05/14/18

Preaching Pentecost

The miracle of Pentecost is not obvious; it is the miracle of faith created through the preaching of the word of the cross.
Chad Bird
Chad Bird
03/22/18

The Church Doesn't Need "Children's Church"

In an age when families are already fractured beyond comprehension, are we seriously going to separate parents from children in the one service in which God himself is present to unite us to himself and one another?
Joel Hess
Joel Hess
03/22/18

Practicing to Die, Practicing to Rise

The greatest joy of Lent is failing at it only to find Jesus has already done it for us.
Larry D. Hughes
Larry D. Hughes
03/07/18

40 Days of Law-Then What?

The Law must attack because nothing outside of Christ can enter Heaven—nothing!
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