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Give and it shall be given
Pastor's corner
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Today’s Scripture is “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” Luke 6:38 (KJV) 
Last week, I had the wonderful experience of a local business owner coming into Manna House to bring a packet from the Feinstein Foundation, an organization that, according to finesteinfoundation.org, is based in Rhode Island and is dedicated to fighting hunger.
She had found an opportunity for Manna House to increase community involvement in feeding the hungry. I picked up the phone and, believe or not, I got founder Alan Shawn Feinstein himself on the line. He told me that if I could get my community to give, he would match its giving. He said that he has been doing this for the past 14 years to raise money to feed the hungry and to encourage community giving. 
I truly believe that whatever you make happen for others, God will make happen for you. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.” Giving is the very foundation of faith. The Bible also says that if you encounter a friend who is hungry and clothed in rags, you should never say, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled.” You must do something about their physical needs. Faith without works is dead, but if you help someone in need, it expresses your faith. Being a believer in Christ should motivate you to be a giver. 
During my phone conversation with Feinstein, he encouraged me to motivate my community to donate items to feed the hungry. He said, “Tell them some guy from Illinois will match it and maybe they will give more.”
I was ecstatic to hear the challenge, because it has been my experience as the director for Manna House for the past 10 years that this truly is a giving community.
Donations received from March 1-April 30 will be doubled. Food donations valued at $1 per item or pound and monetary donations given during this period will be counted toward the challenge.

Deason is senior pastor at Liberty Prayer Chapel and executive director of the Liberty County Manna House.

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