John Avant

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--Do you ever have just one of those days? When everything you have planned just comes apart and you get so frustrated that sharing Christ is the last thing on your mind? I occasionally do. I think the Bible refers to it as “being in the flesh,” and that’s where I found myself one day recently.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--God is on the move these days. I am beginning to see it nearly everywhere I go. As I write this, I am in Alaska for their state evangelism conference. The week before I was in Missouri for theirs.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--If there is any sadness in heaven, it may be when we realize how many opportunities we missed to share the good news of the One who brought us there.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--I wonder if most of us realize how truly open most people are to the Good News of Jesus. I find it everywhere I go, among people from all ages and cultures. Almost everyone, if approached right, will talk about Jesus. And many people are only one friendship, or even one conversation away, from becoming His follower. So how can it be that so few Christians ever witness? Why do we keep the Good News to ourselves?

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--Well, everything changed for our family over the holidays. My first-born child, my sweet, gifted and beautiful daughter, Christi, is now engaged.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--The new year is here! What better time could there be to decide to get in on the joy of sharing Jesus?

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--Christmas is the ultimate Good News. Into this world of darkness light has come. And our call to evangelism means we get to be light-bearers, bringing the greatest joy to those who otherwise will miss Christmas and never know it. What a privilege!

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--What greater gift could anyone need for Christmas than Jesus? And God is dropping in our laps historic opportunities to give that gift to many people who will receive it with joy. Think of what is happening right now and what is just around the corner.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--It’s almost Thanksgiving, and there will be an empty place at our table. My father-in-law, Don Duniven, planned to join us as he has many times before. My wife could not have a better daddy. My children could not have a better grandpa. I could not have a better friend. But without any warning, on Monday, Nov. 7, Don died in his sleep. We are shocked. We are heart-broken. And we are overwhelmed with Thanksgiving. Because only Jesus could have made Don the man we will miss so much.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--One of the enemy’s greatest lies is that people are not open to the message of Jesus. Most Christians are fearful that the people they talk to will be offended if they bring up spiritual things. Actually, I find this to be the most spiritually open time of my life.