Hey, this is Stephen Fertig. I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast.

I wanted to thank you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope it builds your

faith. Hope it gives you perspective to see God as moving in your life. Enjoy the message.

Now John chapter 5 verse 7, Sir, the invalid reply, I have no one to help me into the pool

when the water is stirred while I am trying to get in someone else goes down ahead of me.

You're going to love this because you've been wanting to say this anyway on my title and I'm

going to let you say it right now and because I'm telling you to say it, you will have permission

to say it. Look at the person next to you and tell them this. And tell them in a convincing way,

say, trust me, I'm trying. You may be seated. I promise I am. I really am trying. I know I don't

always hit the mark, but I really am trying because for me, I have a rule, especially as a boss,

the people that work for me is that I always try to make it a point never to punish somebody who's

trying to be proactive. I feel like if somebody makes a mistake because they took it a little too far,

that's a little Jesus, Jesus let Peter cut Melchus's ear off in the garden and put it back on like

Mr. Potato Head. But I think he liked Peter because Peter wouldn't just sit around. Peter was like,

all right, I can do something about this. The spirit is willing, the flesh is weak and I'm about to

use my flesh to cut off. And that's a really interesting thing, isn't it? Now the kids will call

somebody a try hard. It's like a way of saying, you know, if it looks like you try too hard on your

outfit. And I get that. But I like people who will give it a level of effort. And even if they miss,

they swing so big. I've always liked people like that. I thought I should tell you this,

if I ever come up here to preach and I don't do good, which I'm sure happens, it won't be because

I didn't try. So if you ever see me up here struggling in this pulpit and you're like,

I don't really understand this one. I think I see what he was trying to do. Did you catch that?

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