On Eagles' Wings Pt 108 — Don Courville

Well, I'm glad to be back with you again today on Eagle's Wings. I've been sharing with you last week at least a little bit how I want to share some things on the Holy Spirit and share things that God has been Teaching us this program.

We trust as a blessing to you and my friend if you haven't yet trusted Christ as your Savior. Let me encourage you to do that. You think about your soul. It's the most precious thing that you have and for all eternity.

Your decision of what you do with Jesus Christ. It's going to be your life if you decide for Christ for all eternity. You'll realize that that was the greatest decision the most important decision you ever made in life.

If you decide against Jesus Christ against receiving him as your Savior giving him yourself Committing yourself to him letting him be your sin bearer For all eternity if you refuse and reject him you'll realize that that was the greatest Gravest mistake you ever made in your life.

Life in Christ and the Work of the Holy Spirit

To those of us that know Christ. To those of us that know what it's like to walk in the power of the Spirit to Be free to be led by God. We know that Life is Jesus. Paul said for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

He said I'm crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live in the flesh. I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me as we go through the next few weeks we're going to understand that it was God the Holy Spirit living in Paul and Working in his life and let me tell you something the Holy Spirit Will put you through tests.

He will guide you. He will stretch you. He will teach you he will Actually, I believe he trains us almost like a military Outfit would train their troops. I know when I went into the Air Force back in the 60s the mid 60s.

The first two weeks that that I was in the Air Force I was in another world and I knew when I stepped off the the bus and This guy started yelling at me that I'd made a big mistake. For two weeks, they like to scare the death daylights out of me and And then I found out later on they were trying to weed out the weak ones.

Well, the Holy Spirit will weed out the weak ones and I am here to try to encourage you to be a strong one because we will experience the blessings of Christ the riches the richness of Christ is ours to enjoy and You know so many times we say God give me your power put your power upon me.

I want to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that I'll have power. That's the wrong motive. We're not filled with the Holy Spirit so that we'll have power. We will have power but so that God will be glorified with the Holy Spirit even Jesus says that he will glorify the Father who glorified the Son won't speak of himself won't glorify himself.

He'll glorify the Father and the Son. So let's look to Jesus to guide us, you know before I give you the message that God has given to me today. To share with you. I'd like to share something with you about This deepness of walking with the Spirit.

There's a little pamphlet entitled others may but you cannot by GD Watson. And I shared it. Oh Must have been a a couple years ago or so with you and I thought maybe I should share it again. And it goes like this if God has called you to be really like Jesus He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility and put upon you such demands of obedience.

That you will not be able to follow other people or measure yourself by other Christians and in many ways He will seem to let other good people do things which he will not let you do. Other Christians and ministers who seem very religious and useful may push themselves pull wires and work schemes to carry out their plans.

But you cannot do it and if you attempt it you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent. Others may boast of themselves of their work of their success of their writings.

But the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing. And if you begin it, he will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works. Others may be allowed to succeed in making money or may have a legacy left to them.

But it is likely God will keep you poor because he wants you to have something far better than goal. Namely a helpless dependence on him that he may have the privilege of supplying your needs Day by day out of an unseemed Treasury.

The Lord may let others be honored and put forward and keep you hidden in obscurity. Because he wants you to produce some choice Fragrant fruit for his coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade.

He may let others be great, but keep you small. He may let others do a work for him and get the credit for it. But he will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you're doing and then to make your work still more precious.

He may let others get the credit for the work Which you have done and thus make your reward ten times greater. When Jesus comes the Holy Spirit will put a strict watch over you with a jealous love and Will rebuke you for little words and feelings or for wasting your time Which other Christians never seem distressed over.

So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign and has a right to do as he pleases with his own. He may not explain to you a thousand things which puzzle your reason in his dealings with you. But if you absolutely sell yourself to be his love slave He will wrap you up in a jealous love and bestow upon you many blessings which come only to those who are in the inner Circle settle it forever.

Then that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit and that he is to have the privilege of trying of tying your tongue. Or chaining your hand or closing your eyes in ways that he does not seem to use with others.

Now when you are so possessed with the Living God that you're that you are in your secret heart pleased and delighted over this peculiar personal private jealous guardianship and Management of the Holy Spirit over your life.

You will have found the vestibule of heaven. Others may you cannot. By GD Watson. This is why those that walk with God in such deep ways. Sometimes they do things that you don't understand. I know there's many times I would like to share with you things that I'm doing.

Things that I'm up to but the Holy Spirit says be quiet places that I go in the Holy Spirit. He says be quiet. You don't know how many times I've gotten into trouble with the Holy Spirit for boasting.

When he's used me in some way and for boasting about it, I'm opening up my heart to you. I'm not perfect. Now if you are you and I probably won't get along. Because I'll mess things up because I'm not perfect.

God is continually teaching me. He's continually teaching those that walk by faith. We admit that we make mistakes. We confess our sin. But there's more power it seems to those that are willing to humble themselves and admit that they are weak.

Seeking God's Kingdom Rather Than Wealth

Now I want to share with you today some thoughts about selling out to Jesus or selling out to the devil, which is it? Which is it, you know, there's one part of that little thing there about making money.

You know many people that love the Lord have found that the devil has got them in this area of the money. God started off in 1966 and I believe I was saved then with a verse in Matthew Matthew 633 but seek you first the kingdom of God in his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you and the reason That he dealt with me.

I think on that verse was because I was in college to to make money. I was not there to To learn but I was supposed to be there to make money so I've been told I was supposed to go there and get a degree and I was a psychology major and actually I was frying my brain and all that stuff and I won't get into it to it today, but I believe a lot of demonism is involved in that area and that's because So many things are satanic in that area and it's dangerous area.

It's a it's a powerful area when used in the right way, but when used in the wrong way, it's dangerous. But God got a hold of me and saved my soul save me from the temptation of making money and Satan's come back many times in my life and Offered prestige and fortune to me.

When I was getting out of the Air Force, they came to me and offered me made me this. I didn't think it was so great of an offer. But they made me this offer if I would stay in so much this and that and rank and stuff I said no, thanks.

I've set my cell. I'm going with God See you around boys, and I was gone years later when I was in my first pastor I had pastored a couple years and then I decided I would get a little part-time job.

I worked out a deal at a rock quarry where I would help them blast dynamite and help load up that dynamite and stuff when I had the time I'd go up there and work and then sometimes I said if you need if you're in a bind and Need a little extra help then I'll bend for you and it got to the point to where I can make more money in Two weeks up there at that rock quarry than I could a whole month pastored my church.

And it got to be where I was really looking for more opportunities to go up there and work. And one day God the Holy Spirit came to me and in my spirit. He said drop it and I did. I said I got to go I can't work here anymore, and I went back to God.

We can be drawn away many times. I've had offers and and God the Holy Spirit's told me to walk away from them offered to have a big position in a big fancy church and The Holy Spirit said walk away from it and one time I was in one church I preached one time they were without a pastor.

It was a July 4th, and I preached one time and they came to me later that afternoon. I spent some time with the family and said we'll give you it was like $23 ,000 a year cash and this is a long time ago.

This is many years back I think it was over ten years or so go and $23 ,000 a year cash and all these benefits that was a lot of money be a lot of money to me now I don't have that much now and Large salary the Holy Spirit said walk away.

I walked away from it as I was traveling up into another state. They called me and tried to get me to come back the Holy Spirit said don't listen keep walking whatever it is that you are weakened the devil will try to get you into that area and We need to be careful in this area now.

Let me remind you that Jesus is all you need is he all you want. Does the devil have a corner in your heart? You know he offered all the kingdoms of the world to Jesus. So don't think that he won't offer something to you.

Trusting God to Supply Every Need

I Want to share with you some days today some examples in the Bible of those who sold out to the devil Instead of Jesus and we'll make some comments on some that did sell out to Jesus. And the reason I'm sharing this is because so many of my pastor friends and pastors that I see in Christian workers Are getting tempted into this area of money.

It's a dangerous area a Dangerous dangerous area and actually it comes down to this point who will you trust to meet your needs? Yourself or God your job or your God? Your inheritance your social security or whatever or God who is it?

You're really looking to to supply your needs the way we live sometimes it astounds us. Even how I will will have needs and we'll just lay it out to God we have this need father. We're not gonna worry about it.

We're gonna. Let you provide it and God provides specifically on those needs. He does it we have we have a journal of faith where we write these things down and keep a record of them and every Now and then I go back through that thing, and I'm just amazed God he comes through he gets excited when somebody has faith.

What we're doing now in the church that we're in the the thing that we're believing God to do is so unbelievable I'm not gonna share it with you now. We're gonna watch and see what happens see how what God wants to do.

It's just just will blow you away. It's so big, but when God says do it. It's just like crossing the Red Sea if God says do it. Then you just do it leave the details to him. I want to take you back over to Joshua chapter 7 and start off with a fellow that we were all familiar with and we'll know all these things today.

Achan's Sin and the Consequences for the Community

But I think that the Holy Spirit is wanting us to pay attention to this area in Joshua chapter 7 you remember the story about Akin how they went to AI and They got and they got beat and through this God used this to get Joshua's attention about some things that they were doing wrong.

One they were trying to do things the way they did them. According to the ways of man going back with 3 ,000 instead of the whole army, but they'd picked up a little problem along the way. Akin had picked up some stuff called the accursed thing.

The Lord said unto Joshua get thee up wherefore thou is. That thus on thy face Ezra sinned and they have also transgressed my covenant. Which I commanded them for they have even taken of the accursed thing and have also Stolen and dissembled also and they have put it even among their own stuff.

Now Akin was the one that did it. But God was saying they and I think that one of the things that we've forgotten today today in our churches is That if one member sins in the church, it affects the whole body.

And you can't get away with it. Be sure your sin will find you out my brethren. If there's sin in the church, and you know about it, and you're not doing anything about it. It's gonna get you. It will pay.

Sin always pays. Well, you know what happened here. They got a hold on OE Akin. They made him fess up to what he had done and they they did him in now. Be sure your sin will find you out many years ago.

I knew a preacher in the same Fellowship that I was in he had the hardest evilest look on his face. He was drier than a well in the desert that hadn't produced water for a hundred years. Mean looking face an image.

It was his countenance was just bad and I wonder why. What's going on here? And I found out that this man had some wealthy lady that had offered to pay for his education if he'd go back to the University and pick up a big PhD and he did but what he did is he sold his soul.

I believe to the devil it cost him instead of having a big huge church. It's split and that thing to this day has had huge problems. I mean they had a debt of of a half a million dollars or more on this saying that they couldn't pay all.

Because of this thing of being tempted to go get this degree. And by the way, this power pride type thing goes along with money so many times I was thinking back over in first Timothy in chapter 6 how Paul warned that Godliness would contemplate as great gain and back in verse 5 He said perverse disputings of men corrupt minds and destitute of the truth supposing that gain is Godliness from such would draw thyself.

But godliness would contentment is great gain for we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out. Having food and raiment. Let us be there with content my brothers and sisters we buy the lie of Satan so many times as Ministers are our people in the church when we think that we've got to have so much money.

Oh No, all we've got to have is God. He'll lead you to know how much money you need. But all you really need is God. He says let's be content. We've got a little food. We've got some clothes. Let's just be content.

Because he says they that will be rich Fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drowned men in Destruction and perdition for the love of money is the root of all evil.

Which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith pierce themselves through would many sorrows be careful be careful be careful In this area, but thou oh man of God flee these things and follow after righteousness Godliness faith love patience meekness and he goes on into that.

Let's be careful. You remember all he's I how He went after Naaman told me wanted a little money. You know what happened to him. You remember what Elijah said? He says okay, you got it. But listen, you're gonna have the leprosy and The leprosy that was on Naaman went to him.

He got what he wanted. He was greedy. He lied and he got it, but he paid the price. Is it worth it? Is it worth it? Let's know what Paul said in first Timothy 3 3 that The bishop the pastor the spiritual leader in the church is not to be given to wine.

No strike or not get greedy of philtre lucre, but patient not a brawler not covetous be careful. Dangerous days we live in you remember the young rich ruler that came to Jesus. We come to this story a lot of times this young rich ruler that came to Jesus.

The Rich Young Ruler and the Danger of Riches

And he wanted to know what he could do to inherit eternal life. You remember how it ended up. Jesus put his finger on his idol. He said yet lackest thou one thing sell all that thou hast and Distribute unto the poor and thou shall have treasure in heaven and come follow me and when he heard this he was very sorrowful for he was very rich and the Gospels record that he went away and When Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful.

He said how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God? I have found that among rich people many many many most of them are Trusting the fact that they are rich to get themselves to heaven even in fundamental churches their self-righteousness Comes into their soul this thought that they are righteous and above everybody else because they have so much money.

Oh Be careful. Be careful that you're not trusting the fact that you have a lot of money to get you to heaven. Matter of fact if we would have went on down in in first Timothy chapter 6 and In verse where was that verse 17?

I think it was Paul told him To first Timothy 6 if you can excuse the rustling of leaves. But he said in 17 charged them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded. Pride and money go together nor trust in uncertain riches.

But in the Living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy I'd like to take you through. I won't have time today and show you all the scriptures about the richness that we have in Jesus all the scriptures of how rich We are in him.

Oh, what a wonderful thing to have the richness of Jesus Christ. Jesus is all you need. Is he all you want? I had a friend that I He used to pastor the first church that I pastored this man went off to Africa.

He's still over there now, but when he went he walked away from a five million dollar farm and a ranch operation. Gave it up gave all his inheritance and everything up as far as I know I don't know if he'll get any inheritance on it.

I don't think he did. But when his dad died his other brothers and sisters got everything gave it up left it all for and went after Jesus. I was thinking about over in Luke in chapter 4, you know I shared this with you a little bit earlier when we started off that Satan offered to Jesus all The kingdoms of the world so be careful that he doesn't offer you a little corner in this world.

Taking Up the Cross and Rejecting Worldly Gain

Also remember in Luke 9 23 through 25 26 all in there Jesus said to them all if any man will come after me let him deny himself and Take up his cross daily and follow me. How many do you know? I know a lot of them.

They have not been willing to take up their cross because they were too busy Going after the things of this world and the money for whosoever will save his life shall lose it. But whosoever will lose his life for my sake the same shall save it.

For what is a man? Advantaged if he gained the whole world and lose himself or be cast away. I mean, do you know that I know also they're too busy making money to take time to worship God to take time for Fellowship to take time for prayer my friend.

Be sure your sin will find you out. There'll be a payday someday, oh. Remember what Luke said in Luke 9 62 no man. Having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God. Jesus said that have you been looking back you say all the stuff I left when I followed Jesus my friend.

You didn't leave nothing but a dunghill behind. That's what Paul said. He left you didn't lose anything. I have seen many pastors wives. Learn their pastors ministry because they were not willing to take the shame of having little in the past for it my friend.

God's gonna judge you if you've been keeping your pastor poor and You've been keeping your pastor humble when you could provide for him and and take care of needs. God's gonna judge you. I'm no treasurer.

Sometimes it felt like that that money is theirs. It's not yours. It's God's and God's gonna judge you just like Oh Judas. Just like Oh Judas, you know what it says in John chapter 6. When Jesus spoke about Jesus, he says one of you is a devil.

Judas, Covetousness, and Guarding God's People

How would you like to be called a devil. One of you is a devil and that was? Judas and you know in John if you go over to John chapter 12 and verse 4. You know how Mary Magdalene came and was pouring that ointment on Jesus feet.

Judas was the one that got everybody to rumbling and grumbling about what she did. Then said one of his disciples Judas Iscariot Simon's son, which should betray him. Why was not this way much soul for 300 pence and given to the poor and John recorded this?

He said not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief and Had the bag and bear what was put there and then said Jesus let her alone. You be careful if you're picking on a man or a child of God woman of God.

In this area you be careful. God is gonna get you if you have a Judas spirit. You know, we have to watch it. Paul in the book of Acts when he was preaching. When he was leaving he was weeping. Because he said be careful because I know that after I leave many grievous wolves are gonna enter in not sparing the flock.

He says be careful take heed. Therefore to yourselves to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost had made you oversee is feet who to feed the Church of God which he had purchased with his own blood.

For I know this that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you. Not sparing the flock. I'm sad to say this, but I've seen many pastors that were Wolves and sheepskins fleecing the flock always after the money now.

I Know that many times the pastors are not taken care of the way they should be. So you guard yourself that you don't let your pastor get into this temptation. You know what Paul said about himself? He said I have coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel.

Isn't that a good spirit to have what you have brother? I haven't coveted one of the the Commandments are strong in the area of thou shalt not covet that still applies. Judas sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

What have you sold him for? Little pleasure instead of prayer. Do you have more pride than power? What about Odemus? Paul said Demas had forsaken me haven't loved this present world. And what about over in James when James said that we're not to love this world.

He says you adulterous is an adult you adulterous and adulterous says no. You're not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God. Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world is the enemy of God who better be careful.

We don't have a Judas spirit a demon spirit in us. Remember what Jesus said the care of this world the deceitfulness of riches. Choke the word and and he become unfruitful. Don't be deceived. You know, I know a preacher.

Now you can think he's crazy. But I know a preacher that was offered up to ten million dollars. He went to God and asked him about this offer and the Holy Spirit showed him don't take it. This is not for me.

It's from the devil. He took the offer. He took it out to the trash barrel. He put it in and he burned it. Ten up to ten million dollars, I don't know exactly how much it was. His kids don't know about it.

I think he shared it with his wife up to ten million dollars and they didn't have much in their Checking account and hardly anything in a savings account and he says God I'm gonna be like Abraham. I'm gonna lift my Hand up to you and let you provide.

Abraham Refuses the King of Sodom's Reward

Isn't that a beautiful thing? You remember when Abraham went to rescue Lot and he and the king of Sodom said I'm gonna give you some goods. Let me give you some people. Let me give you some reward and Abraham said I've left up my hand into the Lord the Most High God the possessor of heaven and earth.

That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatch it and that I will not take anything. That is thine lest thou shouldest say I have made Abraham rich. It's a wonderful thing to know that what you have you have received from God if you need it.

If you need it go to God and ask him for it. Don't go finance yourself. Go to God and ask him for it. He'll provide. He's a great God. He's a wonderful God. He does provide and he wants to provide for you.

I've got some more things to share with you, but our times about gone for today. Let me just encourage you to get you to know God to let him be all that you need. Remember Jesus Christ is all that you need is he all you want till next time.

God bless you my friend.