Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. (Revelation 3:20

I always like this historical fact that many of us observe lent religiously, as we are passing through another Lenten season, it reminds me that someone is knocking at the doors of our hearts with an expectation of invitation over a meal. The Master who is the Prince of Peace comes with a message of welcome and fellowship by referring door and meal, One that would correct the old way of narrow streets of legalism and the congestion of the lifeless law that demanded “a tooth for a tooth.” Today we are suffering with even more worse that this, I mean “a tooth for tooth” since we see people becoming more and more materialistic, fans of individuality, opportunists and selfish. When I say fellowship, to me, it does not mean just sharing meal with somebody, giving company. It is more than that which can be understood by a biblical verse of Romans 12: 15, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” I take it as a commandment about supporting those who do celebrate events but lack in some how or the other which can mostly be because of less financial resources and the people who can afford to support them should support them by their gifts, similarly, in the times of grief and sadness, we who are happy and blessed by Lord God should share the burden and sorrows of those who are in trouble and need by providing them with required assistance.   I think the season of lent also comes us to provide time for our self evaluation that do we carry same love and concern for others as Christ carries for us and for all mankind? 

While celebrating the Lenten season, may each of us also look inward and determine the degree to which we are furthering the development of His master plan. Lent is a time for self-reflection as we look at ourselves and ask, “Are we pure salt of the earth? Do we let our light shine before our fellow humans? Do we remember that we were created in the image of God? Are we still the light of the world?”

One of the best metaphors that Bible uses over and over again is the symbolism of the DOOR. From the opening verses of Genesis that says in chapter 4, verse 7, “sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” to the closing pages of Revelations that encourages in chapter 3, verse 8, “I know your deeds Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name..

Lent is the time to open the closed doors of our lives to fulfill the great commission. Christ knocks at the door of each of us, the symbolic door that awaits our approval of opening it for the building of character by becoming a good disciple of Christ, in which the Lord is the Architect.

I strongly believe that when we will walk through that symbolic door this Lenten Season, no matter what was our past; we will begin a new ancestry right now.

We all know that there are people who spend their entire lives within a few miles of home. Some people like that spiritually. They are familiar and comfortable with what they know and believe. Many occupy only a small part of the universe and cannot envision anything beyond their limited horizon. But when we have the faith and courage to open those doors that lie before us, we will find on the other side of the door unlimited possibilities which contribute to our spiritual growth in Jesus Christ with the help and guidance of His helper Holy Spirit.

If we go through life seeing only the trees and not the forest, we are limiting our view of God’s universe, and we may become fail to understand God’s will for us and what does He require from us in our lives.Please open the doors of your hearts and mind by welcoming Jesus Christ though fulfilling His will in our lives and letting Him join at our meals.

New Articles

Two brothers-accused of Blasphemy- killed in Pakistan: An extra judicial killing in the premises of the court (Revd Rana Youab Khan)

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Objections to the Objectives Resolution: A Minorities' Perspective (Revd Rana Youab Khan)

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Blasphemy Laws and intolerance by extremist Muslims towards other faiths are an insult to Prophet Mohammed (Yunis Khushi)

Could a Christian compel Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Jens, Parsis, Buddhists, and atheists to respect Jesus Christ the way he respects him, and the way he worships Him as his Lord, God, and Saviour? If a Christian does so, then he is denying the very teachings of Lord Jesus Christ. Could anyone be compelled to pay a respect to any religion, any faith, any book, any prophet, or any kind of beliefs held by some people, or a group of people, or individuals, if that person is not an adherent of that faith, or if he does not want to pay the same respect to that prophet, book, beliefs as the adherents of that faith do? Why are Muslims so much intolerant towards the other faiths? Why do they call Kaffirs (nonbelievers) to everyone who is not a Muslim? Why has the hatred of the Sunni Muslims reached to a level whereby they are calling even Shias as Kaffirs? Why do they want people of all faiths to believe in Prophet Mohammed the way the Muslims believe in Prophet Mohammed? What have been the effects of the Blasphemy Laws in Pakistan? What will be the effects of religious intolerance on human culture and civilization? The following article will analyze the above questions and the general attitudes of the Muslims towards the people of other faiths, and the impact of the intolerant attitudes of the extremist Muslims towards other faiths and among the different denominations of Muslims themselves.
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How many more lost years? (Nasir Saeed)

In the last month, three Christians have received lengthy prison sentences for blasphemy. Qamar David was given a life sentence after being found guilty of sending insulting text messages from his mobile phone in 2006, a charge he denied. Days later, husband and wife Ruqiya and Munir Masih were sentenced to 25 years in prison for supposedly desecrating the Koran, a ruling which, in a country with so little welfare provision, has effectively sentenced their six children to an uncertain future.
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8 Steps to Effective Christian Leadership (Ghazal Bhatti)

As a Christian leader, you are held to high moral, ethical, and social standards. As a leader, you are held to high standards, but as a Christian leader, that bar is raised even higher. Why? Because both the Christian and non-Christian social environment has tended to expect that Christians measure up to their self-proclaimed moral and ethical standards, as they rightly should. What can you do to be sure you ‘stand up to the test’ in the area of Christian leadership?
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