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. Jesus, break this “give” principle down for me so I can see how it works. Show me that it has a lot to do with Your process of bringing healing into my life.

Give: Jesus, help me not let my problem with marriage cause me to feel really sorry for myself. Help me not be deeply hurt that God isn’t setting me free. Keep me from feeling hurt that people don’t understand how tough my situation is. Help me not be hurting because people see me as being weak. Help me understand that You are laying out a foundational principle upon which all Your miracles, blessings, help, and solutions are based on.

Jesus, giving is the last thing I want to do; it is the last thing I think would help me; but, I pray and ask You to help me get my eyes off of what I need and maybe even what I feel I deserve to get. I pray and ask for Your help getting my eyes off of me and on where I need to give. Teach me that this “give” principle is a very powerful door opener into the mighty blessings of God.

Jesus, help me realize that there are things I already have, what are they? Show me that there are things I need; but, there are also things I don’t need. What excess do I have that I don’t need? What is it that I can do, say, or give that comes from that excess? Show me that You have a person You are concerned with. You are aware that I have what this other person needs. Just as soon as You show me where this person is that has this need, empower me to get started helping them with it. And, make it clear to me that just as soon as I do, You will start solving MY problem. Give, and it WILL be given to you.

Give, and it will be given to you: Jesus, help me think about a river; help me see that the only way for more water to move forward is for the water in front of it to get out of the way. Help me take those things I already have that I no longer need and let them flow forward.

Jesus, show me that when I give my time, effort, money, and possessions, that I don’t need myself, let me see that it makes room for God to give me the next blessing, miracle, healing, provision, and resource needed. God may have sent me something I don’t need. When that happens, it is confusing to me because I am looking for God to meet MY needs. But, teach me that a river is for a lot of people. The supply may have come my way because I can get in contact with the person who needs it.

A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over: Jesus, make it clear to me that as long as my problem with marriage is something that focuses my attention on those things I don’t have, things I desperately need, problems I must have solved, and things I am suffering over and need to be healed of, I won’t understand why God is blessing me with a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. Help me see that it isn’t until I start realizing that God wants to use me to be a blessing to other people, that I see a need for God to supply me with more than I can use.

Will be poured into YOUR lap: Jesus, let me understand that when special things start coming my way, it is true that I am being blessed by God. But, if I feel I am being blessed so I can be blessed, then I’m not understanding this foundational Scripture in Luke 6:38. Show me that “give” means I have something, give it away and don’t have it anymore, and then have an empty spot where God pours in His blessings.

Jesus, to me giving might mean I am having to sacrifice. To me it might mean a loss, me having to do without, or me ending up poor. But, as I can see, that isn’t what this Scripture says. It is saying that if I will give, it will start a mighty flow of the blessings of God in my life. Some people, who really consider themselves humble and very spiritual, will tell me they don’t give to get. But, teach me that the only way I can keep giving is to keep getting; that’s the way a river works.

For with the measure you use: Jesus, show me what would keep me from being willing to give generously. Would it be a fear that I would give it and this Biblical principle wouldn’t work? Would it be because I feel I need it a lot more than someone else does? Or, would it be that I am a lake and won’t give anything that comes my way? If it pours into my life, it stays in my life.

Jesus, show me that “for with the measure you use,” is encouraging generosity and quality giving. If I give a little bit when I have a lot, then I am measuring out a little and will get a little. If I am measuring out cheep, useless, damaged gifts, then that is what I will get back. And, that will leave me with less and less of the resources of God to be blessed and to bless others with.

For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you: Jesus, help me become more and more generous, as time goes on. Let that cause me to have MUCH more to give than if I just gave a little at a time. But, give me real faith and trust in this truth of God. Help me BELIEVE that God is telling the truth here.