"God's people today stand in a valley between two mounts: Mount Calvary, where Jesus died for our sins, and Mount Olivet, where He will return in power and great glory (Zech. 14:4). The Old Testament prophets saw the Messiah's suffering and glory, but they did not see the 'valley' between this present age of the church (1 Peter 1:10-12). Believers today aren't living under the curse of the Law, because Jesus bore that curse 'on a tree' (Gal. 3:10-14). In Christ believers are blessed with 'every spiritual blessing' (Eph. 1:3) because of the grace of God.

However, because Christians 'are not under the Law, but under grace' (Rom. 6:14; 7:1-6), it doesn't mean that we can live any way we please and ignore the Law of God or defy it. We aren't saved by keeping the Law, nor are we sanctified by trying to meet the demands of the Law; but 'the righteousness of the Law' is 'fulfilled in us' as we walk in the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:4). If we put ourselves under Law, we forfeit the enjoyment of the blessings of grace (Gal. 5). If we walk in the Spirit, we experience His life-changing power and live so as to please God.

Let's give thanks that Jesus bore the curse of the Law for us on the cross and that He bestows all the blessings of the heavenlies on us through the Spirit. By faith we can claim our inheritance in Christ and march forth in victory!

Today's verse: "For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace" (Rom. 6:14, niv).

Read: Romans 7:1-6

Action assignment: Thank God that you can claim victory through Him. Find the song "Faith Is the Victory" and sing it. Note what the song says about a banner and about God's Word. Check your armor (Eph. 6:10-18) and see if you are properly attired for victory. Encourage yourself by reviewing 1 Corinthians 15:57-58." Through the Year

I wrote an email to my sister today, confessing and asking forgiveness for the unnamed envy I've always had for her and the bad way I've treated her both in my mind and in my actions. I'm not sure exactly why these feelings came to the surface except that I've been thinking about her upcoming wedding and being bestowed the honor of Best Woman (I reject the title Matron of Honor - I'm not matronly). Not something I would ever have deserved at any point in our state of sisterhood. Since moving out of the house we lived in with my parents, our relationship has grown slowly, but the residual sibling rivalry has not completely left my heart.

The point of writing all that is to confess it also to the Lord, and to highlight a point I made with her in the course of that email. I had told her about the envy in an earlier email and also about my thoughts and feelings regarding the relationship we all will have with the sweet little boy she will become stepmom to. She wrote back thinking that I was worrying too much. This honesty with my state of sin and striving with everything I can muster against my "flesh" is not WORRY. It can become that, but the act in itself is not! I loved the above devotional because it reminds me that we ARE soldiers in a war! And if at any point I forget that reality, I am giving the Enemy an easy opportunity to conquer territory. Christ did not set us free from sin by his bloodshed on the cross just to have us bound again by more sins! He died once for ALL - not only for all people, but all the sins I have committed, am committing, and will commit the rest of my life! We have many gifts upon receiving salvation, but after that, it's up to us to decide the quality of that eternal life we now live as Christians. I am daily choosing to live by the Spirit. Living by the Spirit is WORK! But like I told my sis, it's WORTH IT!

Thank You Father God for making sacrificial living WORTH IT. Whatever I think I'm giving up for You, I don't know, but it's less than nothing compared to what I gain. In fact, if I really think about it, what I'm giving up was actually harming me anyway! Oh sin - why are you so deceiving? And why am I so gullible to fall for it every time? Father, forgive me for the awful feelings I've harbored toward my sister all my life and change my heart into that of a God-love and friendship-love for her. Help me serve her in whatever way You appoint for me.

Lord, please be with me today - give me good dreams, restful sleep, a time warp and mental clarity to prepare for tonight, and good spirits for Michael, Edward, and Genevieve. Touch the hearts of each of the families in our ABF, each of the precious women in my WBS group, each of the Steering Teammates and their current issues, and each of the moms of TEFC MOPS. May Your Name be glorified in all the earth.