Average Christians Don’t Exist: Encouragement for Believers

Description

In the first chapter of his spirit-filled devotional, Average Christians Don’t Exist: Encouragement for Believers, Kevin McSpadden asks a fairly blunt question:

“Many Christians have adopted the viewpoint that only the pastors, worship leaders, or evangelists can truly be powerful in faith.  After all, that’s what we pay them to do… Compared to them, what could an ‘average’ Christian possibly have to offer?”

The Answer: God the Father Has a Plan for You!

Through personal testimony, real-life stories, and relatable insights, McSpadden tackles that question head-on in his spirit-filled devotional, leading readers to the same conclusion found throughout the Bible: nobody who truly believes in Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords, who is filled with the incredible power of the Holy Spirit, who knows the intensely personal love of a relationship with God the Father, could possibly be considered merely “average.” Instead, McSpadden spurs spirit-filled Christians on with the simple encouragement that, as living representations of the Father’s love, every believer has special significance and eternal purpose in God’s great Kingdom.

In the eyes of God the Father, every one of us matters.

A Spirit-Filled Devotional for So-Called “Normal” Christians

This book was written with the “average’ Christian in mind, challenging Christians to believe and act on the truth that when the Father’s love enters the equation, all things are possible.   As McSpadden proclaims in an early chapter of this devotional, “Either we have underestimated God’s unlimited power, or we have not believed that He really does unleash it through our lives.”  In either case, this devotional encourages believers to reconsider their preconceived notions about what they’re capable of and readjust their vision to see themselves through the Father’s eyes.  After all, He is the one who chooses the weak, the small, and the meaningless to put His own glory on display.

This devotional appeals to a wide variety of believers.  Those seeking a spirit-filled devotional will appreciate its down-to-earth approach to deep spiritual principles.  New believers and mature saints alike can benefit from the truths found in each chapter.  Even people whose busy schedules do not permit hours of reading will profit from the short chapters, which can be finished in around fifteen minutes.

Each chapter contains truth-packed, personal explorations of various Kingdom principles, followed by two sections designed to lead readers deeper into those principles.  The “Scriptures for Meditation” section offers a short list of readings that allow the Word of God to speak for Itself as readers dig deeper into the amazing plans God the Father has for them.  Then, the “Make It Real” section offers practical, immediately applicable suggestions and steps to help readers grow in their understanding and reflection of the Father’s love.

While the stories in the book are joined by the central theme of God’s great power and glory manifesting simple acts of love and obedience, readers can navigate the book in any order they choose.  The author recommends reading straight through, but each chapter stands as a complete unit, so it is not necessary to go in order.

A Spirit-Filled Devotional in Four Parts

The book consists of four parts, each with its own focus.  The first section, “Treasure in an Earthen Vessel,” contains a series of stories through which God transformed the author’s life.  This section emphasizes how the Holy Spirit constantly guides believers to a deeper understanding of the Father’s love.  The stories found in the first part are what McSpadden calls “pictures in the Father’s album.”  Simply put, these moments are some of the ones God used to reveal himself to the author.  Ranging from the thrill of Little League baseball to a life-changing voyage to the streets of Los Angeles, each story urges readers to view their lives through the lens of God’s love.