HOW TO LOVE

Table of Contents

1. God Changes the Message
2. Allowing Jesus to Live Through Us
3. Learning to Love Yourself
4. Loving Others Through the Love of God
5. Jesus and the Sinful People in Luke 15
6. The Greatest of These Is Love
7. Love as the Evidence of Knowing God
8. Personal Testimony About Self-Hatred and Weight
9. Paul’s Definition of Love – 1 Corinthians 13
10. Love Is Greater Than Spiritual Gifts
11. Love Is Patient, Kind, and Unselfish
12. Love Keeps No Record of Wrongs
13. Love Never Fails
14. Growing Into Spiritual Maturity
15. Faith, Hope, and Love
16. Love as the Portal to Faith
17. Closing Prayer and Final Thoughts

God Changes the Message

Pastor Leonard opens by sharing how excited he was to preach a completely different message that God had placed on his heart several days earlier. He explains that he had spent days thinking about it and preparing for it, but while praying that morning, the Lord redirected him toward an entirely different teaching.

He explains that although he loved the original message, God had another plan. He willingly chose to lay aside what he had prepared to share what the Holy Spirit was speaking to him in that moment.

The pastor describes how this teaching became deeply personal. Rather than feeling like a sermon designed for others, he explains that this message was specifically for him. He expresses gratitude that the congregation would allow him to share God’s work in his own heart.

Allowing Jesus to Live Through Us

Pastor Leonard explains that while praying, he began willingly surrendering himself to God and inviting Jesus to live fully through him. He emphasizes that believers must cooperate with the Holy Spirit and intentionally allow Christ to live through them. He reflects on communion and how believers partake of the body and blood of Jesus, reminding listeners that Christ truly dwells within them.

He explains that his prayer became centered on allowing the love of Jesus to flow through his life. He began asking God to let the love of Christ live through him toward others, especially toward his wife.

Learning to Love Yourself

Pastor Leonard explains that one of the most important revelations believers can receive is understanding how much God loves them. He says many people struggle because they do not truly love themselves, and without understanding God’s love, they cannot properly love others.

He references the principle that loving others flows from first receiving God’s love personally. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

He explains that believers often attempt to love God or others while rejecting themselves inwardly. He teaches that God’s love heals self-hatred and insecurity.

Loving Others Through the Love of God

Pastor Leonard specifically shares his prayer concerning his wife, Lori. He says he wants to love her the way she deserves to be loved. He openly admits that his wife often demonstrates greater love and compassion than he does. He recalls a minister once telling him during an ordination service that he needed to become more like Lori.

The pastor reflects honestly on mistakes and painful situations in his life that occurred because he was not walking in the love of Jesus.

He repeatedly prayed: “Lord, love through me." He explains that genuine Christian love is not self-generated human effort but allowing Christ’s love already within believers to flow outward.

Jesus and the Sinful People in Luke 15

Pastor Leonard shares a recent encounter with people who initially rejected his church invitation because of previous wounds from religion. He explains that while speaking with them, the Lord impressed upon his heart that what they truly needed was love. He discusses how many people have been damaged by harsh religious messages centered only on sin, condemnation, and fear.

The pastor then references Jesus eating with sinners in Luke 15.
Luke 15 contains the account of Jesus fellowshipping with sinners and publicans while the religious leaders questioned Him for eating with them. The chapter reveals the heart of God toward the lost through the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and prodigal son.

He explains that Jesus loved people others rejected. Rather than condemning them, Jesus welcomed them.

Pastor Leonard tells how he explained to these individuals that God loved them completely and that nothing could make God love them less. This softened their hearts, and they responded warmly to the message of grace and love.

The Greatest of These Is Love

Pastor Leonard introduces the central theme of the sermon: love is the greatest thing in the Christian life.

He begins reading from 1 John 4- “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
He explains that the evidence someone truly knows God is not merely religious activity or spiritual performance, but love.

Love as the Evidence of Knowing God

The pastor teaches that when believers truly understand how much God loves them, it naturally produces love for others. He explains that love is evidence of spiritual maturity and healthy identity. He teaches that people who know they are loved by God develop confidence, wisdom, boldness, and emotional stability.
He also emphasizes that God’s love cannot be produced through commandments or pressure. Instead, love grows naturally as believers receive God’s grace.

Personal Testimony About Self-Hatred and Weight

Pastor Leonard shares a vulnerable testimony about struggling with his weight and emotional eating. He explains that at one point he weighed around 300 pounds and often turned to food because he did not love himself. He describes going from restaurant to restaurant buying excessive amounts of food because inwardly he lacked understanding of God’s love for him.

The pastor explains that self-hatred leads people into destructive decisions, while understanding God’s love produces healthy choices and confidence. He teaches that receiving God’s love transforms both inner thinking and outward living.

Paul’s Definition of Love – 1 Corinthians 13

Pastor Leonard turns to 1 Corinthians 13 and allows the Apostle Paul’s words to define love.

1 Corinthians 13- “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”

He explains that even extraordinary spiritual abilities are meaningless without love. He humorously reflects on times in his own life when he behaved like a “noisy gong” rather than walking in love.

Love Is Greater Than Spiritual Gifts

The pastor continues through the chapter.

“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”

He explains that many believers desire spiritual gifts, prophecy, revelation, knowledge, and miracle-working faith. However, Paul teaches that without love, even these powerful gifts are empty.
Pastor Leonard emphasizes repeatedly that love is more important than supernatural gifting. He continues:

“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”
He explains that grace cannot be earned through sacrifice, giving, or self-effort.

Love Is Patient, Kind, and Unselfish

Pastor Leonard walks verse by verse through the characteristics of love. “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.”

He explains that love is patient even when frustrated.

– Love is kind even toward difficult people.
– Love does not become jealous over another person’s success, possessions, promotions, or blessings.
– Love does not demand its own way.

He shares humorous examples involving conversations with his wife about where to eat, explaining how love seeks the desires of the other person rather than selfishness.

Love Keeps No Record of Wrongs

Pastor Leonard highlights one of the most convicting aspects of love.

“Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.”

He explains this means love does not keep records of failures or constantly remind others of past mistakes. The pastor challenges attitudes that repeatedly say:

“Do you know how many times I forgave you?” He explains that genuine love releases offenses instead of maintaining a running list of wrongs.

Love Never Fails

Pastor Leonard continues reading. “Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Charity never faileth:” He explains that spiritual gifts, knowledge, and prophecy are temporary, but love lasts forever.

-Love never gives up.
-Love remains hopeful.
-Love endures every circumstance.

Growing Into Spiritual Maturity

The pastor explains Paul’s statements about maturity.
“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”

He teaches that spiritual maturity involves putting away impatience, jealousy, arrogance, selfishness, and unloving attitudes. Growing up spiritually means becoming more loving.

Faith, Hope, and Love

Pastor Leonard concludes the passage with Paul’s final statement.

“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

He explains that love is greatest because it reveals that a person understands God’s love personally. To know God is to know love.

Love as the Portal to Faith

Pastor Leonard shares one of the central revelations he felt God gave him during prayer. He teaches that love is the “portal to faith.” He defines a portal as a grand and impressive gateway.

The pastor explains that many believers seek powerful faith to move mountains, overcome sickness, restore relationships, or transform circumstances. However, he teaches that true faith operates through understanding God’s love.

He then references Galatians 5:6.

Galatians 5:6- “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.”

He explains that realized love energizes faith. Understanding God’s love becomes the gateway through which powerful faith flows.

Closing Prayer and Final Thoughts

Pastor Leonard closes by again explaining that this message was deeply personal to him. He expresses his desire to walk more fully in the love of Jesus and hopes the congregation was blessed by hearing what God spoke to his heart.

He ends in prayer, thanking God that every description of love in 1 Corinthians 13 ultimately reflects God Himself. He declares that God is patient, kind, forgiving, enduring, and full of perfect love toward His children.

Thank you for taking the time to read this teaching from Pastor Leonard Rola. We hope this message encouraged you to grow deeper in the understanding of God’s love and to allow the love of Jesus to flow through your life toward yourself and others. Please share this teaching with someone who may need encouragement, healing, or a fresh revelation of the grace and love of God.