By Peter Kennedy
“If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” – 1 Timothy 5:8
Bill Adkins is the founder and pastor of Greater Imani Church located in Memphis, Tennessee. He fathered an illegitimate daughter and throughout her entire life, he failed to acknowledge Lashonda. She is now in her 30’s and wrote:
“Am I bitter? Yes. A man of the cloth preaching to his flock how to live and walk the path of God yet having several children outside of marriage and never righting his wrongs is despicable to me. Living day after day full of lies and hiding your past for a manufactured image to appease your followers. I wonder how does he even live with himself sometimes. But as he claims to walk the path of righteousness yet steadily head in the opposite direction. All I can do is let go and move. That is his road, not mine. I can no more make someone love me or be a father. That part of my life is gone. And I have grieved and suffered.”
Men - your first responsibility to provide for the material and emotional members of your family. Today in prayer, praise the Lord for your family and ask Jesus how you can better provide for them.
"A man's family is also part of his work for the Lord. So if he fails with his family, he fails to qualify to be a minister." - Mary LaGrand Bouma
God’s Word: “If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she should help them and not let the church be burdened with them so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.” – 1 Timothy 5:16
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