Teaching summary
In this message, Pastors Leonard and Lori Rola emphasize the importance of attending to the right words—the words of the New Covenant of grace, not the mixture of law and grace. They show from scripture that life and health come from keeping the gospel of Christ at the center of our hearts and minds. The teaching warns against mixture, highlights Paul’s battles against legalism, and urges believers to guard their gates—eyes, ears, and thoughts—against false teaching. Communion is presented as a powerful reminder of Christ’s finished work, rightly discerning His body rather than focusing on ourselves. The message concludes with encouragement to live in the fullness of grace without add-ons or conditions.
Bible verses referenced
Proverbs 4:20-23- "My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."
2 Timothy 1:13-14- "Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us."
2 Timothy 2:14-16- "Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness."
Hebrews 10:7-9- "Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second."
3 John 1:2- "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."
Matthew 26:26-28- "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."
Teaching notes
Table of Contents
- Opening Prayer and Introduction
- Reading from Proverbs 4:20-23
- The Conflict of Mixture in the New Testament
- Paul’s Instructions to Timothy about Guarding the Words
- The Importance of Attending to the Right Words
- The New Covenant of Grace versus the Old Covenant
- The Heart as the Soul: Mind, Will, and Emotions
- Guarding the Gates Against Mixture
- Communion: Discerning the Lord’s Body
- Closing Encouragement and Prayer
Opening Prayer and Introduction
The sermon opens with worship, praise, and prayer for healing across nations and among local believers. Pastor Leonard sets the stage by declaring the message as one of the most important anyone could hear, emphasizing its unique truth about words and covenants.
Reading from Proverbs 4:20-23
Pastor Leonard reads Proverbs 4:20-23 in full: "My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."
He explains that this promise is conditional on focusing on the right words. The words bring life and healing only if they are the true words of the New Covenant.
The Conflict of Mixture in the New Testament
Pastor Leonard recounts how Paul and Barnabas faced conflict with the Jerusalem church led by James. While James was glad people believed in Jesus, he also upheld zeal for the law of Moses. This created mixture—grace combined with law. Paul endured persecution, imprisonment, and opposition over his stand for pure grace. This backdrop, he stresses, runs throughout Acts to Revelation.
Paul’s Instructions to Timothy about Guarding the Words
Referencing 2 Timothy 1:13-14, Pastor Leonard quotes: "Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us." He emphasizes Paul’s warning to guard the good treasure of faith in Christ’s righteousness. Likewise, in 2 Timothy 2:14-16, Paul urged Timothy to avoid meaningless arguments and to rightly divide the word of truth.
The Importance of Attending to the Right Words
Pastor Leonard stresses that Proverbs 4 does not apply unless we attend to the right words. The right words are the gospel of Christ, not the words of the old covenant that demand obedience to law. He clarifies Romans 1:16’s declaration of the gospel as God’s power for salvation, showing that salvation includes deliverance, redemption, health, and healing.
The New Covenant of Grace versus the Old Covenant
Quoting Hebrews 10:7-9, "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God… He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second," Pastor Leonard shows that the old covenant failed because humans could not keep it. The New Covenant is flawless because it is between the Father and the Son. Our qualification is by faith in Christ, not by works. He repeats: attend to the words of the New Covenant, without mixture.
The Heart as the Soul: Mind, Will, and Emotions
Pastor Leonard explains that the Hebrew word for "heart" refers to the soul—mind, will, emotions, and intellect. He links this to 3 John 1:2: "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."Thus, keeping God’s words in the heart means filling the soul with the gospel of grace.
Guarding the Gates Against Mixture
Believers are warned to guard their eye gates, ear gates, and mind against mixture. No matter who the preacher is—famous or local—if the message adds "but you still must" or mixes law with grace, it must be shut out. The issues of life flow from guarding the heart with diligence.
Communion: Discerning the Lord’s Body
Pastor Lori leads communion, reading Matthew 26:26-28: "Take, eat; this is my body… For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."
She stresses that Jesus declared "It is finished," leaving nothing for us to add. Pastor Leonard adds Paul’s teaching: the only reason for sickness and premature death in the church was not discerning the Lord’s body rightly. Communion must focus on Jesus, not on ourselves. The early church in Acts practiced communion daily, and none were sick among them.
Closing Encouragement and Prayer
The message closes with a prayer of thanksgiving for the flawless covenant of grace. The pastors encourage believers to remember they are the head and not the tail, blessed in all they do because of faith in Christ. They emphasize: attend only to the words of the gospel of grace, rightly dividing law and grace, with no mixture.
We hope this article has blessed you. Share this teaching with others so they, too, may attend to the right words—the gospel of grace—and experience life, health, and freedom through Jesus Christ.