Hello my dear friends!

I continue to update the new shovel web site with reformatted articles from the former database. I'm in the process of creating some new topical lists that encompass articles from all over the site into an easy to access menu system. So far, I've added the topics: The Judgment Seat of Christ, Hell, and Confession. The menu list will continue to grow. Anyhow, this Spoonful is taken from an intro I just wrote up for the Confession menu page. It is just a teaser, I'll admit, though of course I hope to intrigue some of you to check out the links to this important topic. :)

I've seen numerous of you find your way to the new site and were able to login (by the way, if you do not logout when you leave the web site you should still be logged in when you return). I'd love to see some more of you drop by and look it over. It's easy to recommend the site to others through links on most every page where you can email the link to any email address.

You can also post comments to most articles on the site, though you have to be logged in for those posts to go through without my having to first approve them. I encourage you to login, as it makes it easier on me, and it also attaches your username to the comment (not so on anonymous commenting). I recently made it easier to comment on the two newsletter, as I set it up so that the comment form shows up at the bottom of the page. On other pages you have to click a link at the bottom that says, "Add New Comment". It's not hard, and it's in plain view, but you might miss it. I love seeing your comments! :)

There is also a way to recommend any particular article via the Five Star Module on the site. I also made it more obvious, as it was at the far bottom the last time I sent out a mailing. An impossible to miss ratings block now shows up on the top right corner of the article, with some cute little shovels rather than stars. Once enough votes are added in, I'll re-display the Recommended Article block on the front page. As it is, many of those ratings were added by myself just so that the block would show up. Please take the time to rate articles you feel strongly about, one way or the other.

Okay, enough intro! :) Here's the article.

The Spoonful: Confession

Contemporary teachings, doctrines and rituals about confession, especially related to 1 John 1:9, have caused much fear and confusion within the Christian community. Instead of living in the joy and freedom of Christ, believers find themselves caught in cycles of self-examination and judgment. While confession may at one time have brought relief through of the knowledge of the forgiveness of sins, along with a cleansed conscience, the never-ending cycle of examination, repentance and confession slowly imparts an entirely different message to those caught in its grip: fear, guilt, shame, insecurity, self-hatred, and so on. The initial sense of relief and forgiveness becomes replaced with a growing obsession with sins and how to overcome specific patterns of sin. A very critical concern among many believers comes from the fact that some of these sin patterns started up in the midst of doing all the right Christian things. How did the joy of salvation, fellowship with God, and love for Jesus ever get twisted into a life that revolves around sin?

You can find the Confession menu page here

Jim Minker :)