Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

Mark 6. 33  The people saw them going, and many recognized them and ran there together on foot from all the cities, and got there ahead of them. 34  When Jesus went [ q ] ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. 35  When it was already quite late, His disciples came to Him and said, “ [ r ] This place is desolate and it is already quite late; 36  send them away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves [ s ] something to eat.” 37  But He answered them, “You give them something to eat!” And they *said to Him, “Shall we go and spend two hundred [ t ] denarii on bread and give them something to eat?” 38  And He *said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go look!” And when they found out, they *said, “Five, and two fish.” 39  And He commanded them all to [ u ] sit down by groups on the green...

Mark 6. 14  And King Herod heard of it , for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.” 15  But others were saying, “He is Elijah.” And others were saying, “ He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old .” 16  But when Herod heard of it , he kept saying, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!” 17  For Herod himself had sent and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her. 18  For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19  Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death and could not do so ; 20  for Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; [ l ] but he [ m ] used to enjoy listening to him. ...

Mark 6. 7-8  Jesus called the Twelve to him, and sent them out in pairs. He gave them authority and power to deal with the evil opposition. He sent them off with these instructions: 8-9  “Don’t think you need a lot of extra equipment for this. You are the equipment. No special appeals for funds. Keep it simple. 10  “And no luxury inns. Get a modest plac hee and be content there until you leave. 11  “If you’re not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way.” 12-13  Then they were on the road. They preached with joyful urgency that life can be radically different; right and left they sent the demons packing; they brought wellness to the sick, anointing their bodies, healing their spirits. Psalm 89. A long time ago you spoke in a vision,      you spoke to your faithful beloved: “I’ve crowned a hero,      I chose the best I could find; I found David...

Mark 6. 6  1-2  He left there and returned to his hometown. His disciples came along. On the Sabbath, he gave a lecture in the meeting place. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. “We had no idea he was this good!” they said. “How did he get so wise all of a sudden, get such ability?” 3  But in the next breath they were cutting him down: “He’s just a carpenter—Mary’s boy. We’ve known him since he was a kid. We know his brothers, James, Justus, Jude, and Simon, and his sisters. Who does he think he is?” They tripped over what little they knew about him and fell, sprawling. And they never got any further. 4-6  Jesus told them, “A prophet has little honor in his hometown, among his relatives, on the streets he played in as a child.” Jesus wasn’t able to do much of anything there—he laid hands on a few sick people and healed them, that’s all. He couldn’t get over their stubbornness. He left and made a circuit of the other villages, teaching. Psalm...

Mark 5. 21-24  After Jesus crossed over by boat, a large crowd met him at the seaside. One of the meeting-place leaders named Jairus came. When he saw Jesus, he fell to his knees, beside himself as he begged, “My dear daughter is at death’s door. Come and lay hands on her so she will get well and live.” Jesus went with him, the whole crowd tagging along, pushing and jostling him. 25-29  A woman who had suffered a condition of hemorrhaging for twelve years—a long succession of physicians had treated her, and treated her badly, taking all her money and leaving her worse off than before—had heard about Jesus. She slipped in from behind and touched his robe. She was thinking to herself, “If I can put a finger on his robe, I can get well.” The moment she did it, the flow of blood dried up. She could feel the change and knew her plague was over and done with. 30  At the same moment, Jesus felt energy discharging from him. He turned around to the crowd and aske...

Mark 5. 5  1-5  They arrived on the other side of the sea in the country of the Gerasenes. As Jesus got out of the boat, a madman from the cemetery came up to him. He lived there among the tombs and graves. No one could restrain him—he couldn’t be chained, couldn’t be tied down. He had been tied up many times with chains and ropes, but he broke the chains, snapped the ropes. No one was strong enough to tame him. Night and day he roamed through the graves and the hills, screaming out and slashing himself with sharp stones. 6-8  When he saw Jesus a long way off, he ran and bowed in worship before him—then bellowed in protest, “What business do you have, Jesus, Son of the High God, messing with me? I swear to God, don’t give me a hard time!” (Jesus had just commanded the tormenting evil spirit, “Out! Get out of the man!”) 9-10  Jesus asked him, “Tell me your name.” He replied, “My name is Mob. I’m a rioting mob.” Then he desperately begged Jesus not t...

Mark 4. 35-38  Late that day he said to them, “Let’s go across to the other side.” They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, “Teacher, is it nothing to you that we’re going down?” 39-40  Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, “Quiet! Settle down!” The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith at all?” 41  They were in absolute awe, staggered. “Who is this, anyway?” they asked. “Wind and sea at his beck and call!” 88  1-9  God , you’re my last chance of the day.      I spend the night on my knees before you. Put me on your salvation agenda;      take notes on the trouble I’m in. I’ve had my fill of trouble; ...