Title Why I Can't / Luke 9:37-45
Content Why can't
Bible Text: Luke 9:37-45
What happens on the mountain and what happens below the mountain are completely different things. Above the mountain is a place of glory and joy, but below the mountain is a place of chaos, misery and suffering. Jesus came back down the mountain and this is a miniature symbol of the incarnation. Whether He forsook the glory of heaven and came to this earth, or came down from the glory of the mountain without the glory on the mountain, the purpose is the same. It is to meet people's needs.
At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for Jesus. One of them came to Jesus and earnestly asked to heal his only son, who was showing symptoms of epilepsy due to demon possession. He added that he had asked the disciples of Jesus earlier, but they could not do it. Of course, Jesus cast out demons and made the Son perfect. After that happened, the disciples asked, "Why couldn't we drive them out?" (Matthew 17:19). This is something we also want to know.
The Lord gave them the power and authority to control all demons and to heal diseases (Luke 9:9). And they had the experience of casting out demons with that power and authority. But why couldn't the disciples cast out the demon this time?
First, they did not have full faith.
When the disciples asked the reason for their inability, Jesus pointed out their lack of faith.
“Because of your little faith, he said, truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, if you say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20).
There is no doubt that the disciples believed in God. They believed that God is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, who is not only holy but also loving, willing to be their help and shield. But the problem is that we often face difficulties and forget this God. The child's condition was very serious. The demon knocked him down in the fire and also in the water. So perhaps the disciples wondered if he could be cured because his condition was so serious. This is the little faith Jesus pointed out.
The disciples were so overwhelmed by the problem that they could not see the rest of God, and we often have similar experiences. Faith is not looking at me, but seeing God. Faith does not mean looking at this or that, but trusting God unconditionally. Faith is not clinging to problems, but focusing on the power of God. Faith is what God does, not what I do.
What is the difference between the Israelites and David in their treatment of Goliath? The Israelites were discouraged because they saw Goliath and saw themselves. I lost the courage to fight. But David was able to be courageous because he saw God, not Goliath, but himself. In this way, we need to train ourselves to look to God when we are faced with difficulties.
The opposite of belief is unbelief, but doubt is no different from unbelief because it is far from belief.
“But ask in faith, and do not doubt at all. The one who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. Do not expect such a person to receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded, undecided in all things.” (James 1:6- 8)
The Lord who said I can do it is my strength Lord God
Don't doubt it and walk on the water.
The week you said you could do the week you said you can
They say that only faith is the only power
Second, they neglected to pray.
They were not with the Lord when he went up the mountain to pray. It seems that the Lord specifically pointed out only Peter, James, and John and brought them up. Previously, when Jesus raised the dead daughter of Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, the 12 disciples were all together, but the precedent in which only the three above was taken into the room supports this conjecture (Luke 8:51). However, this cannot be an excuse for neglecting prayer. In the meantime, Jesus himself showed on many occasions how important prayer is in the life of serving God.
The miracle of Oh Byeong-Eye was also connected with prayer. The mere fact that they had been left alone would have made them more prayerful.
Jesus pointed out that prayer was excluded as another reason for the disciples' failure to cast out demons.
"He said to them, "This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer." (Mark 9:29)
“Except for prayer and fasting, this kind does not go out” (Matthew 17:21).
Prayer is the channel through which we can receive power. English-speaking people say this when it comes to prayer. Much prayer, much power. Little prayer, little power. No prayer, no power. Translated into our language, it means, “If you pray a lot, you will receive much power; if you pray little, you will receive little power; if you do not pray a little, you will receive no power.”
"...let your alms be in secret...your father will repay you" (Matthew 6:3,4).
It was George Muller who took these words literally. As a result, a story about the power of prayer that shocked the world was born. Mueller, a German with a real entrepreneurial spirit, was convinced that he should set up an orphanage in 19th-century England, where there were few facilities for homeless children at the time. What was surprising, especially from his entrepreneurial background, was the way he decided to raise money to push this initiative forward. The method was secret prayer. His co-workers cool off when he reveals some specifics.
* Do not ask for any funds directly. The only way to receive an offering is through prayer. No official can provide information about specific needs to the outside world.
*The list of donors is also kept secret. A personal thank you to them. We do not use the name of any famous person to select this institution.
*Despite these seemingly hopeless conditions, the debt never goes down. All transactions must be made in cash.
Then he set aside an hour each day for prayer. Precisely like a Swiss watch, George retreated to his room at the appointed time. He was able to concentrate on his encounter with the Lord by kneeling down and pouring out his wishes, hopes, and dreams to God for his work and the needs of the orphans. Once a week he had a prayer meeting with all his co-workers. It was also held behind a locked door.
There was an irresistible challenge to the formula Mueller took, so the news went viral and pockets were eagerly opened, even though he was so reluctant to disclose it. It started with a rented house, two workers and 43 children, but soon grew to five new buildings, 110 workers and an orphanage of 2,050 people. During his lifetime, 121,000 orphans were provided with erosion and were educated. And 15 million pounds of money (about 1.8 billion won) was managed. (M ller carefully documented every transaction.) The work continues as a monument to the faith. And at its heart is a secret prayer.
They say that prayer is the only power