SSMT 2011 Scripture Acrostic

It's almost time to begin scripture memory for the 2011 SSMT (Siesta Scripture Memory Team). The SSMT is Beth Moore's wonderful idea! Here is a link to her blog where she has posts regarding this. I had trouble accessing her blog just now, but I bet it will be back up very soon.

As a member of the SSMT you commit to memorizing twenty-four scriptures of your choice over a year (two each month). Below are the twenty-four and a half scriptures I'm committing to memorize in 2011. These scriptures are in an acrostic that I made up so that I'll easily be able to recall all the scriptures, even though there's twenty-four and a half of them. If anyone is interested in memorizing this set of scriptures just memorize one scripture every two weeks in sequence according to the acrostic. When you get to Nehemiah chapter four, memorize Nehemiah 4:7b-8 in one two-week period. My acrostic is in the King James Version but you could choose whatever Bible translation you prefer.

The acrostic groups the scriptures by chapters. Reading downward the acrostic spells "Hear God". When you learn what each letter in the title stands for along with the scriptures that go with it, you'll be able to recite so much scripture! Having so many scriptures memorized and easy to recall is wonderful for prayer time because you can fervently pray through each scripture and experience more spiritual growth.

At Beth Moore's blog, on the first and fifteenth of each month, is when you log in at the blog comment section with your name, city, scripture and translation.

HEAR GOD

Holiness
Titus 2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. (KJV)

Enemies
Nehemiah 4:7b the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped then they were very wroth, 8 And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. 9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them… 15 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work. (KJV)

Accomplished
Nehemiah 6:3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? … 15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. 16 And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God. (KJV)

Restorer
Isaiah 58:10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: 11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. 12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. (KJV)

Glorify God
Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (KJV)

gave Over
Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (KJV)

Diligence
2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (KJV)

Greeting the Day With a Smile!

This morning meditating on two scriptures I'd memorized helped me to get up and face the day enthusiastically! I'm so thankful I slept last night. I've had several sleepless nights lately. This forces me to sleep in the daytime. Sleeping in the daytime a lot it brings greater temptation to go back to sleep even if I've just gotten plenty of sleep. Daytime sleeping causes me so much consternation. I'm left with hardly any time to be productive. There are so many things that I need to do!

I thought about fruit of the Spirit which I had prayed about last night.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (NIV)

Thinking about this scripture this morning, I mostly asked for peace and patience in starting my day.

Next Proverbs 21:5, which I also prayed about last night, came to my mind. This Bible verse really encouraged me. I prayed for diligence and a profitable day.

Proverbs 21:5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. (NIV)

These two scriptures along with prayer filled me with good cheer. I sprang up out of bed with enthusiasm and began my day with courage!