Psalm 40

1I waited patiently for the Lord;

he turned to me and heard my cry.

2He lifted me out of the slimy pit,

out of the mud and mire;

he set my feet on a rock

and gave me a firm place to stand.

3He put a new song in my mouth,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear the Lord

and put their trust in him.

4Blessed is the one

who trusts in the Lord,

who does not look to the proud,

to those who turn aside to false gods.^b

5Many, Lord my God,

are the wonders you have done,

the things you planned for us.

None can compare with you;

were I to speak and tell of your deeds,

they would be too many to declare.

6Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—

but my ears you have opened^c —

burnt offerings and sin offerings^d you did not require.

7Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—

it is written about me in the scroll.^e

8I desire to do your will, my God;

your law is within my heart.”

9I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;

I do not seal my lips, Lord,

as you know.

10I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;

I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.

I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness

from the great assembly.

11Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;

may your love and faithfulness always protect me.

12For troubles without number surround me;

my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.

They are more than the hairs of my head,

and my heart fails within me.

13Be pleased to save me, Lord;

come quickly, Lord, to help me.

14May all who want to take my life

be put to shame and confusion;

may all who desire my ruin

be turned back in disgrace.

15May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”

be appalled at their own shame.

16But may all who seek you

rejoice and be glad in you;

may those who long for your saving help always say,

“The Lord is great!”

17But as for me, I am poor and needy;

may the Lord think of me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

you are my God, do not delay.

Possibly one of my next painting project

Our house of prayer is shutting its doors

I have mixed feelings about it. Mixed because we, my husband and I, have been prayerfully considering our spiritual future. In seeking the, Lord on this issue, we felt lead to disengage from the HOP.
I know many charismatic leaders today preach against leaving your church home for any reason but I disagree with this point of view. And it is a point of view.  One should never leave their church in a huff of raw emotions because their feelings have been hurt or over a minor doctrinal difference, and this is not the case with us. Prayerful consideration needs to take place (and as I stated above, it has) when making a decision on this grand of a scale. The spiritual authority under which you sit has a huge impact on the direction of your spiritual journey.
Nothing major happened at the HOP. No scandal or issue is at the apex of the closure, sorry. I know some folks tend to think something dreadful must have happened but many churches and ministries are failing across, America and ours is one of them. We all saw it coming, but no one really likes to admit defeat. Sometimes, though, the Lord has other plans for people. Some of our members are moving out of state. Following the voice of the Lord in their own lives. Can't begrudge them their obedience.
If it has been awhile since you have attended your church or given a tithe, please do so as the Lord leads you. Many times at the HOP we had heard stories of people who felt lead by the Lord to give financially but out of fear, they did not.
Summer time is approaching and many people take the summer off from church to enjoy activities they are not able to do during the winter and/or school months. Remember, my friends, the devil goes about looking for whom he may devour and he does not take time off.

1Peter 5:8
 English Standard Version (©2001)
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Try to go to your church as often as you can. Make the effort. If you need to find a new church home, look for one that will help you grow spiritually, not one that is super entertaining but shallow as a pie pan.
Please also pray that my husband and I will find a new church home. I can't help but wonder if we are to start something together but until he hears it from the Lord, the point is mute. Everyone who meets him asks him if he is a pastor. Hmmm...
He has a pastoral heart and perhaps a calling but that does not necessarily mean he is called to BE a pastor.
We will be seeking the Lord more on this and other important issues. Kind of sound like an infomercial for prayer, lol.
Love you!
God bless you all.

Psalm 39

1I said, “I will watch my ways

and keep my tongue from sin;

I will put a muzzle on my mouth

while in the presence of the wicked.”

2So I remained utterly silent,

not even saying anything good.

But my anguish increased;

3my heart grew hot within me.

While I meditated, the fire burned;

then I spoke with my tongue:

4“Show me, Lord, my life’s end

and the number of my days;

let me know how fleeting my life is.

5You have made my days a mere handbreadth;

the span of my years is as nothing before you.

Everyone is but a breath,

even those who seem secure.^b

6“Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom;

in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth

without knowing whose it will finally be.

7“But now, Lord, what do I look for?

My hope is in you.

8Save me from all my transgressions;

do not make me the scorn of fools.

9I was silent; I would not open my mouth,

for you are the one who has done this.

10Remove your scourge from me;

I am overcome by the blow of your hand.

11When you rebuke and discipline anyone for their sin,

you consume their wealth like a moth—

surely everyone is but a breath.

12“Hear my prayer, Lord,

listen to my cry for help;

do not be deaf to my weeping.

I dwell with you as a foreigner,

a stranger, as all my ancestors were.

13Look away from me, that I may enjoy life again

before I depart and am no more.”

Psalm 38

1Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger

or discipline me in your wrath.

2Your arrows have pierced me,

and your hand has come down on me.

3Because of your wrath there is no health in my body;

there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin.

4My guilt has overwhelmed me

like a burden too heavy to bear.

5My wounds fester and are loathsome

because of my sinful folly.

6I am bowed down and brought very low;

all day long I go about mourning.

7My back is filled with searing pain;

there is no health in my body.

8I am feeble and utterly crushed;

I groan in anguish of heart.

9All my longings lie open before you, Lord;

my sighing is not hidden from you.

10My heart pounds, my strength fails me;

even the light has gone from my eyes.

11My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds;

my neighbors stay far away.

12Those who want to kill me set their traps,

those who would harm me talk of my ruin;

all day long they scheme and lie.

13I am like the deaf, who cannot hear,

like the mute, who cannot speak;

14I have become like one who does not hear,

whose mouth can offer no reply.

15Lord, I wait for you;

you will answer, Lord my God.

16For I said, “Do not let them gloat

or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.”

17For I am about to fall,

and my pain is ever with me.

18I confess my iniquity;

I am troubled by my sin.

19Many have become my enemies without cause^b ;

those who hate me without reason are numerous.

20Those who repay my good with evil

lodge accusations against me,

though I seek only to do what is good.

21Lord, do not forsake me;

do not be far from me, my God.

22Come quickly to help me,

my Lord and my Savior.