PATIENT UNTIL THE END

See: Job 13:15- Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him

weeks before in my sermon, I identified one of Satan’s target in his war against the human race is to attack man’s body through suffering, physical, emotional even financial. Or even a combination of sorts. It is therefore not uncommon to see how a man who has been targeted by Satan can come under severe attacks causing him to yield to his scheme of things.

In my years as a pastor I have seen how good people go through sufferings, something, which shouldn’t be happening to them especially when they are serving the Lord diligently and faithfully.

They are an example of a good Christian, well respected by almost everyone in their church, workplace and even in the community. So why did they suffer?

There are perhaps three reasons for suffering. The first is because of old age when one’s body begins to feel the wear and tear of prolonged usage and various parts of the body begins to deteriorate in strength and resilience. The second reason for suffering is when God allows it for purposes of building one’s maturity. It is when you really need a “spanking” from the Lord that He will allow suffering to happen. These sufferings will help you to identify the root cause and the need to refrain from going that way again. In fact, the lessons learnt will help you to obey God’s word. Finally there is the suffering that Satan throws at you to utterly destroy you because you have become a threat to his plans and therefore leaving you to spoil his plans is not an option. You may ask why doesn’t God do something about it? I believe God is watching to see how you are going to respond. Your faith is going to be tested and your faith is going to be on the line.

Job of the bible is a great example of how a good man full of faith integrity and humility was robbed of every material wealth that he had accumulated due to his industrious, wise and good business acumen when God allowed Satan to put him through suffering. As though losing his possession was not enough, Job also lost the fruit of his life i.e. his ten children to a tornado created by Satan. Satan waited for Job’s response and although he was broken, yet he merely said, “Naked I came from my mothers womb and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job1:21. Bible said in all this, Job did not sin norcharge God with wrong.

Finally God allowed Satan to threaten Job’s life with boils and all the time he did not curse God. In fact, Job’s four friends came to put him on a guilt trip by saying that it was his sin that has caused him to suffer. All these time, Job displayed a characteristic most of us do not care to nurture. Job was patient in all of these. He did not react negatively or got into a pity party nor did he blame God. In fact, in all this, Job said that even if God would allow him to die, he will still trust God. Job was willing to wait for God to come to his rescue but even if he didn’t, God will still be his God in whom he trusts.

Next time when you go through some form of suffering, remember, if it is not a natural form of suffering but it is God’s testing time or the devil’s evil plot, learn to wait upon the Lord. Learn patience and wait for God to come and rescue you. You could be going through a very rough marriage. Maybe your girl friend has betrayed you. You suffered a huge financial loss because someone was careless with your money. You lost your dream job to a politician’s son. Whatever your suffering is, remember that God is in control. God is still on the throne. The good news is if you are patient enough, better things are ahead for you. Scour through His words diligently and spend time talking to Him, be in His presence. Soon enough God will show Himself strong and remove you from your troubles. In the end Job received double of what he had lost. What a marvelous ending to his suffering! 

THERE’S NO HAPPY LIFE WITHOUT JESUS

In the town of Rodniki our team met Vladimir. He told us that his life was full of trouble that he was overwhelmed with, so he began to drink hard. We could tell by his look that the man is lost, devastated and hopeless.

We found out that before we came he stayed at home for several days and didn’t open his door to anyone and didn’t come out. But on the day and hour when we came to his house with the intention to knock, the electricity went out in the house. Vladimir had to come out to fix it. And here we were standing by his door.

This is how Vladimir heard about the One Who loves him and is there to help. Volodya “seized” the hope of salvation and agreed to go to a rehabilitation center. Now he is in Sharypovo town, going through a Christian rehabilitation program. Vladimir hopes and prays that his family will be saved because he realized that there’s no happy life without Jesus.  -Team of Krasnoyarsk Association of the Russian church of Christians of Evangelical faith

THE GLORY OF MAN (Poem)

By: K. P. Poudel.

‘Man of woman’ is a man;

           Mortal is his glory!

‘Unsighted is a man;

          Groping blindly is his glory!

‘Growling beast’ is a man;

          Grousing is his laurels!

‘Unruly and ‘Treachery’ is a man;

         State untruth is his glory!

‘Grass’ is a man;

         Withering turf is his glory!

‘Clay’ is a man;

         Dust pack is his admiration!

‘Absurdity’ is a man;

         Master’s pity is his glory!

Caste/Casteism [In an Indian context] (I)

By: K.P. Poudel

Though the framers of the Indian Constitution adopted a document which is weeded (set up) to the ideals of Democracy and Social justice and aim to establish a Casteless and a Classless Society in the country, Caste continues to be an important factor in Indian Politics. No doubt that at the National Level Caste does not play that effective role as it plays at the local level. Further even at the state level its impact differs from State to State. According to Michael Brecher caste play a major role in state and local politics but it is marginal at All-Indian level. Though no state of the Indian Union has been immune from the impact of the caste politics; it has been more in Bihar, Kerala, Madras, Andhra pradesh, and Maharashtra (Marathas-25%, Brahmans, Mahars-untouchables).

Before examining the role of the Caste in Indian Politics it is desirable to know its meaning. The term Caste has been derived from the Spanish and Portuguese term ‘Casta’ which means Lineage (race), Breed (kind). The oxford dictionary meaning of the term caste is ‘each of the hereditary classes of the Hindu Society’. The Indian equivalent of the term Caste is Jat or jati which has been derived from the Sanskrit and means Race.

Prof. Blunt defines Caste as “Endogamous group or collection of endogamous groups, bearing a general name, membership of which is genetic, imposing on its members certain restrictions in matter of social contact, either following a common traditional profession or claming  a common origin, and generally regarded as forming a single homogeneous community.”

Prof. Fairchild defines it as “homogenous, endogamous, social organization with distinctive rituals, especially those pertaining to religious purity. Each caste and sub-caste is given an official status, rating high or low according to the date of its origin, its supposed one time occupation and the strictness of its mortals and religious codes.”

According to Cooley, “when a class is somewhat hereditary we call it caste” However, this traditional conception of caste as a segmental division of society, in which an individual can live his live fully, has now undergone a serious transformation.  At present the service status and the financial position of a person assign him a very respectable position irrespective of his caste attachment. As a result in the more advanced section of our society the caste barriers are getting weaker day by day.

         

The first set-back was suffered by caste system under the British rule due to introduction of new means of transport and communication as well as the introduction of western laws (and norms of rule of law). The western education further weakened the caste nation. However, the Britishers relishing the important role of caste gave a new lease of life to this system by adopting the principle of ‘divide’ and ‘rule’.

         

In the post-Independence period the constitution as well as the government tried to discourage caste-system, but it has not cease to play an effective role in the body politics of the country.

                                      

ROLE OF CASTE IN INDIAN POLITICS    

The social structure of India to a large extent is based on the caste and caste identities. Due to the western education the caste bonds began to weaken in India. Rapid means of transport  and communication brought the different parts of the country (India) into contact with each other. Later on the British discovered that one caste could be played against another. (Therefore they followed the policy of divide and rule and set one caste against the other).

         

Although the Indian constitution abolishes caste system but all political parties tries to use caste for political purpose. As the narrow sectional loyalties (caste-system) had done much harm to the country (during British Rule); therefore the Indian National Congress decided to do away (check) with the caste-system in India when the constitution was being frame. The untouchability system was abolished in all shapes and forms. Separates Electorates was abolished and the Indian constitution was based on justice, equality, liberty and fraternity. In short, it did everything within its power to discourage the politics of caste. The constitution, however, made special reservations and safeguard for certain caste and classes. (It has also made provision for the appointment of Special officer for S.C and S.T to investigate in the matters relating to the various safeguards provided to them under the constitution) Though these safeguards were made for a certain period only in order to enable them to raise to a higher standard but they continued to be extended. (As no political parties wanted to lose their support, whose numerical strength is very large) Therefore, the caste has penetrated deep into the Indian society.

         

Prof. M.N. Srinivas, an eminent sociologist, rightly points out that “There is a wide spread impression among educated Indians that caste is on its last legs and that the educated urbanized and westernized members of the upper classes have already escaped its bond. Both these impressions are wrong. These people may observe very few dietic restrictions, marry outside caste and even religions but this does not mean that they have escaped the bones of caste entirely. They show caste attitude in surprising context”  

         

Similarly, prof. Rudolphs says: “within the new context of political democracy caste remains a central element of India’s society even while adopting itself to the values and methods of democratic politics. Indeed it has become one of the chief means by which the Indian mass has been attached to the process of democratic politics.”

         

Is well-known that the basis of electoral politics is manipulation of votes. Soon every party began to vie (compete) with one another to get maximum votes in the election and capture power. Therefore, the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes whose status in the society hierarchy was very low, become conscious of their tremendous strength. Every party wanted to ride to power by getting   their votes. Even while distributing the tickets and formation of ministers, caste considerations were given the uppermost consideration. Generally, the party ticket was given to that candidate whose caste was dominant. When two or more candidates belong to the same caste, then only the voters do not succumb (give way) to this temptation .They then vote on the basis of the party or the nearness to the candidates. This clearly shows that caste in modern India is still playing a dominant role. Therefore, prof. Srinivas has correctly said that the caste “is so tacitly and so completely accepted by all, including most vocal elements in condemning it, that it is everywhere the unit of social action.” Cont...........see part II