The Sanctuary: A 5-Day Devotional by Sanctuary Worship

Scriptures: Psalms 119:50, Jeremiah 17:4, Jeremiah 29:11

HEALER

Kenny Smith of Sanctuary Worship

Psalm 119:50 

“This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.” 

Wisdom of Solomon 16:12 

“It wasn’t any herb or ointment that healed them but your word alone, Lord, which heals everything.” 

Jeremiah 17:14 

“Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.” 

Healing. 

This word appears in the bible over 150 times. In our Christian walk, it’s one of the physical manifestations and demonstrations of the overwhelming power of God. We see countless examples of God being healer and restoring the lives of those He encountered in stories throughout the bible. Yet in modern times we find those miracles to be more of an exception than the norm. 

Enter, faith. Another word found frequently within the bible. Healing and faith are a pair that when united, lend themselves to the miracles we know and experience. Wholeness demands faith. Jeremiah 17:14 says “Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; Save me, and I will be saved, for You are the one I praise.” Our faith in believing God to be a healer is the key to unlocking the miracle that is healing and wholeness. 

In 2015, my life took a medical turn for the worse. I received a devastating diagnosis that brought my world to a screeching halt. Cancer. The one word you never want to hear. As a believer, it’s paramount in those moments that we lean on God as healer. What happens though when our level of faith doesn’t seem to meet our belief that God can and will be healer in our lives? How do we reconcile the relationship between our faith and God’s desire for us to be whole? We lean into the word. 

My favorite scripture during that time was Jeremiah 29:11 which says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” That scripture pulled on my faith in God and opened my eyes to see how His plans were perfect and necessary to draw me closer to Him. 

As I pursued God, He healed. I stand today in total remission and cancer free since 2015. My faith in who God is has never been stronger. God is not just a healer, he is healing. He is wholeness. My faith dwells in the truth of who He is. There is no one like God. 

Prayer: 

Father and healer, you are perfect. There is no distance that your healing hands can not reach. Let my faith meet and align with your will for my life. All I have needed your hands have provided, both now and forever. I pray that the wholeness of your power consume and cover me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scripture: Exodus 15:2

STRENGTH

Vernon Byrd of Sanctuary Worship

Scripture: Exodus 15:2 – “The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” 

Life often brings challenges that make us feel weak and weary. But we have a God who is always strong for us. In Exodus 15:2, the Israelites sang a song of praise to God, acknowledging that He was their strength, salvation, and reason to worship. 

Just as God was their strength back then, He remains our strength today. When we face difficulties, we can find comfort in knowing that God is with us, giving us the power to keep going. He doesn’t promise a life without problems, but He promises to be there with us, giving us the strength to overcome. 

Our strength comes from trusting and relying on God, not from our own abilities. When we admit our weaknesses and give them to God, His strength shines through. We don’t have to face life’s challenges alone; we have a God who fights for us and supports us through it all. 

Today, let’s rest in the assurance that God is our unwavering strength. In every situation, He is there, giving us the courage we need. May we find comfort in knowing that the same God who rescued the Israelites is with us today, ready to strengthen and uplift us. Let’s declare with praise, “The Lord is my strength and my song!” 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for being our strength when we feel weak. There is no one like you! Help us to rely on You completely, knowing that Your power shines through our weaknesses. Give us the strength to face challenges and the grace to praise You in all circumstances. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Scriptures: Philippians 4:19, Psalms 145:16, Isaiah 53:5

PROVIDER

Kira Daffin of Sanctuary Worship

Scripture 

Philippians 4:19: “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” 

Psalm 145:16: “You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.” 

Isaiah 53:5: “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds, we are healed.” 

Provider. 

If someone were to ask me who else can provide for us the way that God can, I can confidently answer: No one! God has shown us that His providence is unmatched and He has the capacity to meet all the needs of humanity. We have proof! 

The proof is in His name: “Jehovah Jireh.” Jireh means “The Lord who will provide” or “The Lord sees and provides.” Who else can put a promise in their name to provide? No one! 

Another way to find proof of His providence is to reflect on your history with Him. 

I remember when my husband and I found out we were having our first child. We were filled with excitement and nervousness, but also extremely grateful to welcome our baby girl into the world. My pregnancy went smoothly, and on my due date, I went into labor. In less than eight hours on a beautiful fall day in September, I delivered our 7-pound bundle of joy. She had my eyes but looked just like her father. Everything seemed perfect, except her lips, which were a dark plum purple. Initially, we were told they would change eventually, but one nurse decided to check her oxygen one last time, and I’m so glad she did. 

Our newborn was barely breathing, and nobody knew why. 

She was then sent to a local Children’s Hospital where she was diagnosed with a rare heart disease that required open-heart surgery at just three days old. We spent weeks hearing countless negative reports: seizures, water on her lungs, feeding tubes, and over 80 stitches down the middle of her chest. The life expectancy given was only nine years old. 

But we didn’t lose hope. We believed that the God of our salvation could do what no doctor could. We had the proof of His word that “by His stripes” she was healed. He provided healing! We witnessed God overturning every negative report given by the doctors. 

We have the proof of His hand (Psalm 145:16). Our 17-year-old miracle has just graduated from high school. She is living proof of the miracle-working power of God. 

Prayer: God, help us to never lose our sense of wonder. Remind us that You will abundantly supply all our needs according to Your riches in glory. We patiently await Your provision and rejoice in the knowledge that our best and worst days are in Your hands. 

Thought: Write down a time when God provided for you in a major way.

Scriptures: Psalms 46:1, James 2:23, Romans 5:9-11, John 15:13

FRIEND

Danielle Munizzi of Sanctuary Worship

Scriptures: 

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 KJV 

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. James 2:23 KJV 

And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. Romans 5:9-11NLT 

Friend. 

True worship is when a person, through their person, attains intimacy and friendship with God. ― William Temple 

Did you know that God calls you His friend? As Christ followers, we are not only called sons and daughters of God, but we’re invited into a personal relationship with Him. In Romans 5:10-11, Paul explains that we are reconciled back into a personal relationship with God and we are made right in God’s eyes. How is this possible? Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. His shed blood makes it possible. God your Father and Friend loves you. No matter how far we stray away from God, He still desires to be close to us. Sin was the barrier and Jesus’ shed blood was the barrier breaker. 

So how does being a friend of God impact our lives? First, it should impact our perspective. We can visualize God as our Father and Friend. We can think of Him as someone we can call on, depend on, and trust. This completely changes how we approach our relationship with Him. 

It should also impact how we worship God. He is a holy and worthy King who is deserving of worship and gratitude. When a friend remembers to wish you a happy birthday, you say thank you. When a friend brings you a hand-wrapped, sentimental birthday gift, you are sure to tell them how grateful you are for such a thoughtful gift. When a friend gathers your loved ones for a surprise birthday party, you show genuine gratitude and thank them for showing such love and devotion to you. How much more should we praise God? He lifts our burdens, heals our brokenness, and makes us whole. While we were still sinners, He still showed sacrificial love to us! 

Lastly, it should impact our prayer life. If God is our friend, then He is near and present when we pray. If God is our friend, we should pray knowing we are not abandoned or forgotten by Him. Prayer is what develops a closer intimacy with our Father. It draws us close to Him. What an extraordinary gift! John 15:13 says “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” 

With a fresh perspective, a praise-filled heart, and a flourishing prayer life we experience the transforming power of our God and Friend. There is truly no one like our God. 

Prayer: Lord, thank You for being a friend to me. Thank You for being a friend that is always present and available when I call. I’m so grateful that You have called me Your friend. Lord, help me to grow to be more like You. I pray that our relationship would grow strong because You are everything I need. Help me to grow into the person you have called me to be. Lead me to greater intimacy with You. There is no one like You, God. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Scripture: Psalms 91:1-16

SANCTUARY

Enrique Holmes of Sanctuary Worship

Scripture: 

Psalm 91:1-16 

Sanctuary. 

In today’s world, everyone is searching for a safe space, a haven, a place to call their own. With danger seemingly lurking in the distance, people have started to feel unsafe, and have opted out of living bold and exciting lives. Worry has consumed many, and anxiety has become the lens through which we’ve viewed the future. With the uncertainty of government, financial security being threatened, and tragedy striking closer and closer to home, people have attempted to find safety in anything they can get their hands on. 

However, we have this hope, this promise, that God is our refuge, our safe space, the place we can run to when we are afraid, feeling uneasy, or alone. He is a secret place. This place where we can let it all out and know that He can handle it. God can handle our tears, our fears, and all our thoughts, both positive and negative. 

Because of rejection, I lived in fear of not being accepted or missing the mark. I would avoid certain opportunities and decline many connections in an attempt to control the narrative. “If I don’t show up, they can’t reject me”, or “If I don’t connect with them, they can’t hurt me”, these were my thoughts. I believe that somewhere the lines became blurred. I started treating God like that, as if He could only receive the “good side” of me. I would only come to Him when I felt I had it all together when in actuality, I can never have it all together without Him. 

In times of feeling unsure, even about ourselves, we must be sure about the One sure thing, that there’s nothing that can separate us from the love of God. Not sickness, He’s a healer. Not weakness, He’s strength. Not lack, He’s provider. Not loneliness, He’s a friend. His love is a safe place. His name alone is a haven where we can run and find safety. God is a Sanctuary, a place of refuge. 

Prayer: 

Lord, I surrender my cares to you, because you care for me. I admit, I’ve allowed fear and anxiety to lure me into saving my own day, by making my own way, but today, I run to you. You are my true safe place. My Sanctuary. You’re the place that never changes. You’re the only sure thing in an ever-changing world. If I ever lose sight of this again, may your love be a lighthouse that will lead me back home to your shadow. Everything I need is in the Sanctuary. There is No One Like You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Thought: 

What’s one thing that you’re currently carrying that you’re going to leave in the secret place?