Devotion

Drawn from the themes of Scripture itself, these devotions consider the salvation plan of God fulfilled in Jesus and carried to the world through the Church. The in-depth, thought-provoking content offers rich insight into Scripture and the Christian life and encouragement in the faith. Along the way you will drink deeply of the fountain of eternal life and gain in understanding of the message of God's Word.

The daily devotions of A Year with the Church Fathers follow the seasonal movements of the Christian Church Year in a broad, general fashion, but not in the more focused and specific way that one expects for the lessons appointed for particular Sundays and festivals of the Church Year.

VOLUME 2

The Cruciform Way is far more than a brief devotional rendezvous. It digs deeper than that. It requires a little more contemplation of the "self," while at the same time promising to help steady you with the same divine muscle that has steadied believers throughout the history of Man. It does this remembering that life is short, but eternity is long-timeless, in fact. And its ultimate goal: A Gospel that gives and emboldens a faith that will keep the heart and mind of the believer in Jesus Christ for and into this eternity.

ENDORSEMENTS:

"The Cruciform Way is a great source of encouragement for Christians today as they navigate the confusion of our culture, and Pastor Thoma does a great job with providing rich inspiration for his readers."

-CHARLIE KIRK, Founder and President of Turning Point USA

"Another brilliant work by Reverend Thoma! Ours is a nation and world trying to push God into the margins. But God won't be pushed, and He reminds us of this through preachers like Reverend Thoma. Society's movement toward secularism is having disastrous results. It's leaving people confused and hopeless. Thankfully, Thoma is not afraid to be faithful. This devotional shows he's not afraid to stand toe-to-toe against the world's evil and give people the truth of God's Word. And he continues to do this with passion while so many of his clergy contemporaries have long since thrown in the towel and succumbed to the safety of politically correct 'wokeness.' In short, Reverend Thoma uses The Cruciform Way to come down from the pulpit, take the reader by the hand, and walk them back to the only One who gives real hope: Jesus Christ."

-SHERIFF (RET) DAVID CLARKE, Former Milwaukee County Sheriff and Author of Cop Under Fire: Moving Beyond Hashtags of Race, Crime & Politics for a Better America

"Pastor Thoma never shies away from challenging his readers to dig more deeply into the Scriptures, and The Cruciform Way, his delightful devotional, is no exception. With his signature awareness and conversational style, his words become familiar to the reader as he moves from week to week bringing rich biblical theology to interface with the practical of 'life.' And his goal: to bring all of us closer to Jesus. Whether or not you have a trusted devotional resource, give The Cruciform Way a try. I highly recommend it."

-DANIELLE D'SOUZA GILL, Author of The Choice: The Abortion Divide in America

"The Cruciform Way is a delightful book. Thoma's writing is excellent. He's a crafter of language, resulting in the devotions within being as far from spiritual fluff as they can get. Fitting squarely to the Word of God, and following the seasons of the Church Year, Thoma peers deeply into theological truth, and yet remains unfailing in his ability to relay these truths in a personal way. This alone leaves the reader pondering the things written long after visiting with them. This Scripture-drenched devotional is just what Christians need for facing the trials of this life faithfully-and courageously! I highly recommended it!"

-REVEREND PAUL CLARK, President of Lutherans for Life of Michigan and Pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Fowler, MI

"God gives faith not so that it can deal with insignificant things, but [so that it can deal with] things the whole world cannot handle, such as death, sin, world, and devil."

-Martin Luther

A prolific author, renowned preacher, respected professor, and key figure in the Reformation, Martin Luther is still, after five hundred years, one of the most influential people in history. Above all, he worked to make the Bible accessible to everyone. His writings continue to guide and encourage Christians because he points us to Jesus and His Gospel.

These daily devotions are drawn from the many volumes in the American Edition of Luther's Works, including volumes that are newly translated into English, thus providing material from Luther never before available to English-speaking readers.

A daily dose of Luther is good for the soul!

You are the fountain of life, light, and all grace and truth

"Use this book as a daily guide in your walk with God and it will enrich you in a multitude of ways." --Michael A G Haykin

The hearts of the first Christians beat with praise for Christ. The strength of their devotion is remarkable, considering the times of uncertainty and persecution in which they lived. Despite all of this, the early church flourished, sustained by the God to whom they prayed.

Christians today have a lot to learn from the devotional life of the early church. In Fount of Heaven, a collection of carefully selected prayers from the first six centuries of the church, we can pray with our spiritual forefathers. Prayers from luminaries such as Clement of Rome, Irenaeus, and Augustine are arranged by theme to reveal the right prayer for the moment. The prayers have been slightly updated to read more easily, but they retain their joy and mystery. As we turn to the prayers of the first Christians, we can return to the foundations of our own faith.