The difference at first glance, may seem subtle to the point of almost trying to split proverbial hairs but, upon closer examination, the difference between the two are as night and day. When I am working for GOD, I am trying to earn His help. When I am working with Him, the issue of whether or not the LORD wants to give me His help is settled in Christ. Now, it's a matter of working out the details of the 'what' and 'how' He is freely given it.

This really boils down to a question of faith. Basic Christianity 101 says that I am saved through faith and not works! "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast."(Eph 2:8-9)

When I am saved (delivered, restored, helped, provided for, healed, etc...) by faith, I am allowing GOD to do the work. He has already accomplished the 'work' in Jesus. Now, He is extending the resulting paid for, salvation to me, and by faith I am simply receiving that which He is freely giving.

However, from a "works" mindset, I am working for or trying to earn, that which The LORD is freely offering, in Christ! My conscience, condemned and my faith in GOD's love and determination to bless me despite my failures and weaknesses—destabilized because of a lack of active faith in Jesus, regarding that which I'm praying for!

For, Jesus has already bought and paid for far above and beyond anything and everything that I could ever ask or think. My offering to do something...anything else in exchange for GOD's blessing is to attempt to depend upon my own inadequate sacrifices of obedience for currency, instead of Jesus' sacrifice!

It's like offering cents for what it would take many dollars to accomplish. My very best attempt at obedience, good behavior, righteousness, and holiness, would equate to pennies...impossibly insufficient funds to the task of being worthy of any blessing on any level from the LORD!

I remember as a child, too young to grasp the value of money, saving up what I considered to be a lot of money but, in reality was really just a lot of loose change. I remember not understanding why the cashier wouldn't accept what I was offering for something worth far more than what I was submitting. The change was all I had. I strived to save it up. In my mind, it should be enough. But, on that day, it was sadly not even close to adding up to what was required. And so likewise, in effect, a lot of our change is nowhere near enough to exchange for the 'change' we are looking for, from the LORD.

LORD, teach us to stop wasting Your BLOOD!

Paul, the Apostle teaches us in His Epistles that GOD's salvation comes only by faith and not by works. Yet, as much as we both teach and preach this understanding, even the most mature among us can still find ourselves unconsciously vacillating back and forth over the line between faith and works—and at the most critical times, during our trials. The confusion arises when the LORD has given us His commandments or gives a specific command, and I am obligated to do what He has said or what He is saying.

The irony is if I obey in a 'works' mentality, to earn GOD's blessings or salvation with my obedience, I can actually find myself in disobedience even while I am yet obeying. (Selah) For,

the LORD intends...always intended that I obey in faith and not in works. There is a difference.

In fact, if I don't understand the difference, I will find myself confused to the point of utter bewilderment, and repeatedly and completely defeated by the enemy to the point of utter disenchantment and heartbreak. For, if I am obeying from an 'earning' attitude, the more I obey, the worse my situation can actually become. For, if my faith in GOD quenches all the fiery darts of the enemy, conversely, my lack of faith renders me vulnerable to every one of those fiery darts of the attack of the enemy!

This is the great irony and perhaps the greatest reason for heartbreaking disappointment and anger at GOD! The LORD has lovingly accepted a great deal of our unfair accusation for His supposedly letting us down. He has been unfairly blamed for breaking His word when we depended upon Him most. And even many of us who have not openly indicted Him can find ourselves still doubting Him in our hearts, from the same implication.

Fortunately for us ours, is a big GOD! He continues to faithfully work with us despite our oftentimes misunderstanding of what is truly happening when we get injured trying to trust in Him, but not realizing we are really in works.

LORD, teach us to stop wasting Your BLOOD!

Obeying GOD in faith has a different dynamic than obeying in works. The commandments He gives me are meant to bring me into faith—to be carried out in faith. For, in order to obey I must trust in the LORD to even be able to do so. All GOD's commandments to us are meant to be obeyed in faith. As such, all the law, even the 10 Commandments were meant to be kept on the basis of faith and not in works.

For example, "Thou shalt not steal". To follow this commandment, in faith—the way the LORD intended, is to place my faith in the LORD as my provider; to trust the LORD to take care of me. In so believing, I will allow Him to! I won't steal because, I won't need to steal. Jehovah Jireh is my provider.

I forfeit, the LORD's provision, when I look at this same commandment legalistically through works, and in the face of the temptation to steal—try to resist the urge to steal under the motivation that GOD will bless me for my performance or efforts of not stealing, and not bless me if I do, steal. I won't have enough 'cents' added up with all my obedience to pay the price for my provision. And to try to do so is to the forfeiture of Jesus' sacrifice, on my behalf.

LORD, teach us to stop wasting Your BLOOD!

The same can be said in what we refer to today as spiritual laws—even those that govern giving and receiving: Jesus said "Give AND it shall be given unto you...!" (Luke 6:38); not— Give SO it will be given unto you. The difference between these 2 statements is truly the difference between faith and works. The "Give AND it shall be given unto you", way—is being free to give, knowing that GOD's got my back; He's going to ever take care of me. His provision and blessing are already with me—no matter how much money I may or may not seem to have in the bank, at the moment! So that the more I give, the more dependent I position myself in Him, allowing Him to outwardly lavish His faithfulness upon me and everything pertaining to me!

The "Give SO it will be given unto me", way—can be abusive to what the LORD intended as I am in effect, leaving the place of faith in Him to instead try to earn more money from GOD through giving more money albeit, in His name. In this way, the LORD is restrained from being able to reach me with His blessing for, because of my lack of faith in Him, I've left Him no room to. My focus is more on working for GOD instead of believing in GOD to work with Him!

The same is true when it comes to tithing. The question always is, if I'm struggling to live off 100%, how can I survive off of only 90%. But, that's the point isn't it? The LORD desires that I not be afraid to...as an act of faith and worship, place myself in a position of dependency on Him, through my giving. In so doing, I am making a statement with my faith whenever I give of my finances—whether under the commandments or through specific commands to give specific amounts. Indeed, He longs to hear my faith in Him...speaking!

For, as it says in Hebrews 11 (the faith chapter), my faith speaks. And my faith is proclaiming, through my act of faith—"LORD my trust is in you, and not in money! And each time I give whether in Your name or under Your unction, I am proclaiming my faith to be in You, and You alone!"

LORD, teach us to stop wasting Your BLOOD!

Every command that the LORD has given us in the past or will ever give us in the present or future, is intended that we follow by faith. The same is true for the command to not commit adultery: I can 'cheat' and meet my own needs my own way, or I can trust GOD and patiently work out the issues I may be having with my spouse, knowing he LORD will complete which He has begun. Or, I could fall prey to the frustrating workers mindset of earning my spouses acceptance through working for that spouses love.

This is the problem with many 'How to' books. Most oftentimes, the approach is performance laden, that tend more to offer what is in effect, initial—temporary results in the beginning, before things completely fall apart.

Even in the command to love, I can try to do so as a work...out of an obligation of obedience. As a result, I will not be able to experience GOD's love in my heart. The best I'll be able to manage is to work at being more patient and strive to act nicer. However, when I love in faith, the LORD supplies the experience of His love for me to love with. Also, to be able to love with His love, I can only do so in faith. This is how I deal with the fear of being hurt, manipulated, used, or taken advantage of, I must come into faith in the LORD regarding these issues even before I can seriously connect with His love in me to love with.

The same is true in any system of obedience, whether forgiving, exercising my authority in Christ, believing and receiving, the laws of faith, or any system of obedience given to me personally. I can approach each command of the LORD from a faith basis or a performance basis. The line can often be subtle, but the results are always pronounced!

Therefore, any system of obedience not done in faith, can actually hurt me! So, when the chips are down, your world is being shaken and every instinct in you is to 'do something'...! What do YOU do?

LORD, teach us to stop wasting Your BLOOD!