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The rooster crowed the second time. Peter remembered the words that Jesus said to him, 'Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.' When he thought about that, he wept. Mark 14:72 WEB.

Peter said that he would die before he would deny Jesus. Then later that night, Peter denied that he knew Jesus three times in a row. He was scared. Fear can be a powerful enemy. Sometime later, Peter overcame his fears. Decades later, when he was crucified by Nero, Peter asked to be crucified upside down. He saw himself as unworthy to be crucified in the same way as Jesus had been. Peter stopped denying the Lord and died for Him just as he had promised.

We do not face the weaknesses that we have just once, but multiple times until we overcome them. It is not "Once cleaned, always clean," either. I have seen people fall right back into something they crawled out of more than once. For example, if you lose your temper every time someone does "something." Then you will face that "something" time and time again until you master it.

A good friend of mine called it "Taking another lap." Just as Israel spent forty years circling the same mountain in the wilderness, we can spend forty years of our life going around the same problem.

Learn from the things that upset you, or cause you to stumble. Be on guard, for just as with Cain, sin crouches at the door, and it desires to have you. When you feel it coming on, face it with a smile and the right attitude. Pass the test. When you beat it, chances are that you will never have to face it again. Or we can take another lap.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I am weary of facing this same problem over and over again. Forgive me, and please give me the grace and wisdom to deal with this once and for all. Guide me and help me make the right decisions. Please give me a clear warning when the test is coming, and let me be prepared for it. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!

Note: Today is Thankful Thursday at the "Ladies in Distress" group (our RHM women's group)! You are welcome to join in our weekly sharing of thankfulness for the Lord's presence and any blessings you may have experienced, big or small! "Ladies in Distress" is a private group, so if you have any problems joining, just post anywhere and we will help you :). Here is the link: Ladies in Distress

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