How do you take your comfort ?  Stirred , Shaken , Straight , or  Slanted ?  I like mine straight or stirred .  I don’t care for slanted .  I might take a tumble , then I would be shaken !   Jesus went back up to heaven so that He could send us the Comforter .  The Holy Spirit living in us .

Comfort on a Slant

We love comfort .  We crave it .  As Christians, we especially love the comfort of the Presence of the Holy Spirit .  We live in a world where much is uncertain .  We see things happening to people around us .  Those we have known, or heard about .  How sweet the seeming assurance that salvation can never be lost under any circumstances !  Music to our ears .  Comfort to our souls . Eternal security here and now, as though we were already standing before Him .

I say, rather, that true comfort comes from knowing the limits and boundaries all – around, circumspectly .  From knowing what will hurt me and under what circumstances .  From knowing that nobody can make me use my free will to ever make a decision to violate any boundary in my heart or mind .  That there is no boogey man , no Thing in the closet or Thing under the bed that can take my salvation .  No demon from hell .  For I am in control of that . That is comfort .

It turns out that the enemy is ever more deceitful and always plays dirty pool .  You see, the perfect bait for the OSAS trap is …..  COMFORT .  False security .  For in that zone, the enemy can lay a spiritual mine field for the christian at risk .  The christian beset by the Deadly Factors .  Things that the enemy has worked hard to position in the life of one targeted .  Strongholds and bondages . Deceit.

If faith without works is dead, being alone … then how much more dead is the counterfeit faith of presumption , for some leading to killing sin ?

Counterfeit , false faith. Presumption .

Counterfeit, false grace .  Hyper – grace .

Counterfeit, false doctrine .  Once saved, always saved . Future sins automatically forgiven .

Counterfeit comfort ; false security .

All comforting .

Such sweet decoys on the spiritual battlefield .

There has never been a time when it was more important to speak the truth in love .  For the Church of Laodicea is swelling greatly .  Men are not enduring sound doctrine .  They are surrounding themselves with teachers that tickle their itching ears .  For some, these sensations lead to losing salvation .  Sleep, sleep . Much of the church slumbers on .