repentance

a just had a renewed experience of this, and i thank God for it, as the giver of the grace of repentance. i find that often of late, i have been repenting before i act on certain sinful thoughts. i'm not sure if that makes much sense to some, but if the inclination in my heart to sin is sin (at least in some sense), then i'm repenting of that by not letting it follow through into action that leads to death.

last summer, at the advance09 conference, matt chandler spoke on the need for a culture of confession and repentance and dependence on the Holy Spirit. he said about how one falls into sin (in this case, so as to disqualify oneself from ministry) "it's easy, here's how it happens. it takes time, but there's a thought that goes rogue, the Holy Spirit says, 'uh-uh', and the person goes, 'leave me alone'."

i've found that to be true in me, so if i don't act on a leading of the Spirit in repentance at the moment i feel the temptation, if i don't run from it right then into the arms of God and into the ways He provides for the mortification of that unholy urge, then i will inevitably do something i will regret later. so i have to run, and obey quickly, for time is against me. God, help me. thank you for already answering for Jesus sake.