Daily Devotional – September 1

Christian Truth

Not everything we observe in our world has scientific explanations. The following is the testimony of a Nepal Christian as recorded by missionary Paul Michaels:

A teenager named Dal Bahadar had been cheating death for several years while traveling high into the Himalayan Mountains in search of yartsa gunbu treasure. He was young and strong - so why should he be afraid? On one trip, after searching and finding several days worth of the elusive worm-like parasitic fungus, he suddenly felt an oppressive weight come upon his legs and fell to the ground. For the next three days, the rest of his body felt quite normal while his legs continued to bear a weight that pinned him to the snow. Eventually, he realized that he was encountering a spiritual force. As soon as he bowed to his new lord, he was able to get up and travel back to his village. It was the beginning of being possessed with an evil spirit that chose to randomly empower Dal Bahadar to heal those who were sick. He became an influential “witchdoctor” fo rhis region.

Why he was chosen was as much a mystery as the powers that would unpredictably overcome him for the next seven years. Once these powers were newly manifested, his father-in-law sent him to a cave-dwelling Shaman to hone his powers. Some may think that possessing such power is a high calling, but Dal Bahadar found it to be a life of constant torment. He was continually sick and was trapped to serve his ruthless spiritual ruler. Possessing healing powers led others to revere him, but the physical and spiritual oppression drove his wife to find another man, and her abandonment only added to his torment.

Then one day a man from his village, Bhem, who had also been tormented with years of sickness, was made well by another healer. Everyone in the village was curious. How did this happen? Bhem told them, “A more powerful Ruler had healed him.” He had been told of the Redeemer-King, Jesus, and he believed in him. When Dal Bahadar heard this news, he begged Bhem to take him to this church in a village several hours away. He too wanted to be set free. As he attended the church each week, he heard the good news of God’s forgiveness comes through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. On his fourth visit, he believed in Jesus Christ, and the church prayed for him. A peace he had never known before began to flood his soul.

Dal Bahadar has now been a believer for four years, leads a small fellowship of Christians in the village of Sayakhola, and is one of the students being trained for church planting in Mugu. Now his life’s goal is to bring the freedom that Jesus offers to every village in the province of Mugu over the next five years. His treasure hunt for a healing fungus high in the Himalayan Mountains ultimately led Dal Bahadar to a far greater treasure.

As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

~ Psalm 55:16-17

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.