It is six days after the story at Caesarea Philippi.

This scripture is about the event at the mountain at which the transfiguration of Jesus took place.
Jesus took three disciples with Him.
I think Peter, James and John had surely never forgotten what happened on that occasion.
This mountain is called Mount Hermon.
There is a beautiful hymn about Mount Hermon. Do you know it?

Now, in verse 2, it is written that
"and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light."

It is written that when the Lord Jesus went to the high mountain and prayed what He had to pray, His clothes became as white as the light.
And at that moment Moses and Elijah appeared.
Moses is a representative of the law, and Elijah of the prophets.
At the time, the Lord Jesus was praying for his "death on the cross."
Here, we can see the form of the fulfillment of both law and prophecy just when Jesus finished His prayers.
There are many messages.
God provides help and confirmation from everywhere.

For us too, when we finish praying what we must pray, it often happens that "our hearts reach a decision" and our minds become clear.
We can see clearly what we must see and hear what we must hear.
The point is that we should pray to the end.
And I think that we should reach to the level of "believing that we have already obtained what we prayed for."

Peter's speech and conduct in verse 4 express his character, but we can also sympathize with his feeling.
He thought that he should say something which suited the mood, and said something completely off base.
He was not said, "Away with you, Satan!" at the time, was he?
I think the Lord Jesus also sympathized with Peter's feeling.

Then, those wonderful words were spoken from the heavens.
Verse 5
"This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, Hear Him!"
This scripture makes us glad whenever we read it.

In verse 9, Jesus tests His disciples' loyalty, by testing how well the mouths of His disciples distinguish between what should be kept silent and what should be spoken.
In Ecclesiastes it is written "A time to keep silence, And a time to speak."
This is difficult...

Now, let's look at the disciples!! It is written that they were in trouble because they could not cast out demons.
When Jesus came down from the mountain, this happened.
It reminds us of Moses in Exodus, doesn't it?

Don't you think verse 19 is interesting?!
"Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, 'Why could we not cast it out?'"

They came to Jesus privately. (They ask privately so that nobody can hear.)
It is like Nicodemus who came to the Lord Jesus at night. It's not nice, is it?
The problem is that they do not ask in open court.
Don't you think so?
It was wrong for them to ask sneakily because their power was insufficient.
The people watching them feel embarrassed.

☆The fact that they are "disciples!" do not mean that they can cast out demons...
This is a terrifying fact. But it is a fact.
Brr...Brrr.
Do not insult God.

Prayers and fasting...these are the daily life of faith.
Now, at Kyoto Glory Church, there is always someone who is praying or fasting during a week.
We all begin our prayers one-heartedly so that we do not end up just abstaining from food.
Thank God that the Lord makes our church grow wonderfully.
This is spiritual footwork.

With flexibility and suppleness of well-trained group,
we hope to be those who pray before God.
Because demons know our daily lives very well.
We want to pray prayers by which we can cast out demons and heal diseases.
May our daily lives of faith before God be blessed even more,
and this blessing flow to many people!!

Therefore, let us pray and walk ahead this week also in order to be the ones whom God uses for His work.
Let us somehow lead even just one person to God.
With the help of the Holy Spirit, may this week be the one in which we pray what we must pray to the end.

Amen.
Hallelujah! Thank you, Lord.