Grace Upon Grace Journal

Bible Study Recap — October 22 Theme: “Worship from the Heart” 📖 Scripture Focus: Isaiah 29:13 “The Lord says: ‘These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.’” Icebreaker: Writing Our Own Acrostic We began the study with a creative and reflective icebreaker! Everyone was invited to write their own acrostic using the word GRACE . Each letter represented a personal expression of faith or a quality of God’s character. After sharing some of our acrostics, Pastor Marvel explained that several Psalms in the Bible were written in acrostic form — where each verse or section begins with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This poetic style was a way to express completeness and devotion — praising God from A to Z . Some examples of acrostic Psalms include: 🕮 Psalm 25 — a prayer for forgiveness and guidance. 🕮 Psalm 34 — a song of...

Expressions of Grace (Matthew 16–20) Bible Study Recap – “Journey of Grace” (Matthew 16–20) By Rev. Marvel Souza Our Bible Study this week was a beautiful time of learning, reflection, and spiritual growth . We began with an icebreaker reviewing the key religious groups that shaped the world Jesus lived in— Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots , and others. Understanding their beliefs and influence helps us read the Gospels with deeper insight, recognizing how radical and compassionate Jesus’ message truly was. Before diving into Scripture, we explored the different Bible translation styles : Formal Equivalence (word-for-word): strives to remain close to the original wording and structure (like ESV or NASB). Dynamic Equivalence (thought-for-thought): focuses on communicating the original message in a clear, modern way (like NIV or NLT). Both translation types help us experience God’s Word with renewed understanding and appreciation for its depth and beauty. The Context: Re...

📖 Bible Study Recap – October 1 Matthew 14–15: Grace that Provides, Heals, and Transforms On October 1, our Bible Study at Jason Lee Memorial UMC focused on Matthew chapters 14 and 15, continuing our journey through the Gospels with a lens of grace. Key Highlights: Grace that Provides: In the feeding of the 5,000 and 4,000, Jesus took what seemed insufficient and turned it into abundance, showing us that in His hands, “not enough” becomes more than enough. Grace in Weakness: When Peter faltered while walking on water, Jesus reached out and lifted him up—reminding us that grace rescues us when our faith is shaky. Grace over Tradition: Jesus taught that true purity comes from the heart, not just external rituals, emphasizing transformation from within. Grace without Borders: In healing the Canaanite woman’s daughter and feeding the multitudes in Gentile territory, Jesus revealed that God’s table is wide, with room for everyone. Activities: We had a Bible Quiz to review what...