THE ELEVATOR PRINCIPLE

Bible Texts: Gen.12:1-3, Jonah 4:1-11, Deut.6:6-6-9, Gen.12:2, Jn.10:10, Gen.17:1-2, Gen.18:19, Matt.5:14-16, Jn.5:39, 2Tim.2:15, Acts 27:22-23

The Scriptural passage for today’s teaching is from the Book of Jonah chapter 4 and verses 1 to 11. It is quite a long reading so I will try to provide the gist of what the word of God says. It is the elevator principle.

But what is the elevator principle? It is a leadership principle that says that an effective leader lifts the people he leads. He provides the platform for the led to be lifted up.

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly and he was very angry…………Therefore now, O Lord, take, I, beseech thee, my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live……So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city and there made him a booth and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city….And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand, and also much cattle? (Jonah 4:1-11)

God wanted the people of Nineveh to repent of their wicked ways and so He sent Jonah to go and minister to them. But rather than Jonah to go to Nineveh to let the people know that God was not happy with their conduct and He wanted them to repent, Jonah did not go. He went to Tarshish. While on his way to Tarshish, there was a great storm that threatened the lives of the people on board the ship and it was discovered that Jonah was the main reason.

The people on board the ship threw Jonah into the water and he found his way into the belly of the fish. He prayed to God for mercy for disobeying God’s assignment to go to Nineveh, and God heard him and brought him out of the belly of the fish. He went back to Nineveh and preached to them. And the people repented and turned from their wicked ways. Jonah became the elevator that lifted the people of Nineveh from wickedness to righteousness and from destruction to safety.

That is who you are as the husbandman. You are the elevator in your leadership role as the head. God wants you to provide good and godly leadership at home, at work and in the marketplace because you are the light (Matt.5:14-16).

And I will make of thee a great nation and I will bless and make thy name great and shalt be a blessing (Gen.12:2)

Like Jonah, God has sent you to be the good and godly support to your wife and children by teaching, guiding, motivating and inspiring them so that they become great and might vessels (Gen.18:19, Deut.6:6-9).

Therefore, reposition yourself by the word of God and take your rightful place as the good and godly leader because that is the perfect will of God for you as the husbandman.

SPIRITUAL EXERCISE

• Father, in the Name of Jesus, forgive me for failing in my leadership responsibilities as the man, husband and father.
• Father, in the Name of Jesus, empower me to be the light at home and in the marketplace.
• Father, in the Name of Jesus, empower me to be the good and godly teacher, guide, motivator and inspiration at home and in the marketplace.

FAITH CONFESSION

I reposition myself by the word of God to be an effective leader at home and in the marketplace because that is what makes me the good and godly man, husband and father in Jesus name. Amen.

Excerpts from IN TUNE WITH GOD daily devotional of Saturday April 8, 2023

The devotional IN TUNE WITH GOD© is published by The Husbandman Mission International, Headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

• You can download the devotional on Google playstore by typing HUSBANDMAN DEVOTIONAL

• You can also subscribe for and invite others to subscribe for this devotional by visiting www.thehusbandman.com and clicking the SUBSCRIBE BUTTON.

• You can follow the devotional on the Mission’s twitter handle @thehusband_man

• Send us a mail of how today’s teaching has blessed you to thehusbandmaninternational@gmail.com.

• The Mission is open to and accepts invitation to churches, fellowship and ministries to speak to men, husbands and fathers.

• You are invited to join us every Thursday from 5.30pm to 6pm for intercessory prayer meeting @ Asokoro Model Junior Secondary School, Kwame Nkurumah Street, Asokoro, Abuja.

Jesus Christ is Lord over all.

Bro. Ebenezer O. Igure

Head of Mission

We are expanding,

If you are interested in contributing to the growth of this devotional, willfully contribute using the button below