We had a great meeting yesterday with a guy I’m really starting to love, John Butler.

We are talking about some monster opportunities that are, quite frankly, scary to me. And it takes a lot to scare me when it comes to the vision of Elevation. I’m usually the one scaring everybody else!

And as I sat there listing all the reasons this might not work (which is a good place to visit, but a deadly place to camp out), John said something that meant a lot to me and Chunks. Let me give you the gist of it, along with my personal application of it. I hope it encourages you too. And challenges the snot out of you. And humbles you. And makes you bold.

We sometimes talk about getting ahead of God, especially when a church is going and blowing at the speed of light. Allow me to insert here that God’s not waddling around with a cane, short of breath, begging us: “Wait up Sonny!”
Anyway, John pointed out that if we do “get ahead of God”, He usually just slams the door in our faces. He doesn’t discipline us, He just shuts the operation down, in His infinite wisdom. And that’s that.

However, if you get behind God, the consequences are much more severe. He doesn’t discipline you. He doesn’t grab a cup of coffee and wait patiently for you in the lobby as you have meeting after meeting after meeting, passing off your stalling tactics as prayer or patience.

He will simply find somebody else to do it.

David will show up on the scene with a slingshot and kill Goliath while all of his older brothers stand by gawking and filled with jealousy and regret that they let that mess go on for 40 days.

God will use Elisha to confront Jezebel since Elijah preferred to run for his life instead of standing firm in the manifest power of God.

Need I go on?

Don’t you ever for a second get to thinking you’re irreplaceable.
(Sorry, I’ll never quote Beyonce on this blog again.)

If you won’t do what God is calling you to do, somebody else will.
You’ll lose out. That’s the deal.
Don’t let it happen to you.