Prayer has to dominate our heart as we move into the mercy ministry. It doesn’t come natural or easy for us to be able to give away what we need and want. We typically give what we no longer need or want and keep those things that we have a use for. By seeking God’s help we will soon learn to start “planting” those things we need so we can get more through God. If we need mercy, then we need to show as much mercy to as many people as we can. Here is the central principle of God concerning getting our needs met.

Luke 6:38 (NIV) Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Just like working on a job pays money in the secular world, giving brings the gifts of God in the spirit realm. We earn wages in the world system; we give gifts and get gifts from God in God’s world.

If we need a lot of gifts, then we give a lot of gifts. However, we can’t give what we don’t have. Sometimes we are so depleted that we pretty much lack anything to give. Here is an example of God’s attitude concerning big and little gifts given.

Luke 21:1-4 (NIV) As He looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” He said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

God doesn’t look at how much we give as much as how much we have left when we give. You may not have much to give; but, if you give the little you have, He will consider it to be a lot and will pour you out a big blessing of monetary and spiritual things.