KEEP YOUR GARDEN CLEAN

Table of Contents

1. Giving God All the Glory
2. The Parable That Unlocks the Other Parables
3. The Soil Represents the Soul
4. Getting Unstuck from the Yuck
5. Religious Traditions That Prevent the Word from Taking Root
6. The Prodigal Son and the Truth About God’s Love
7. Receiving the Gift of Righteousness
8. Protecting and Preparing the Soil
9. Thinking About What Is True, Pure, and Lovely
10. Adam and Eve’s Responsibility to Protect the Garden
11. Living in the Garden Jesus Restored
12. Grace Giving and God’s Provision

Giving God All the Glory

Pastors Leonard and Lori Rola open the teaching by expressing how blessed they are to have opportunities to share God’s Word. Pastor Leonard explains that the Lord frequently awakens him during the early hours of the morning and speaks to him as he spends hours studying the Scriptures.

He desires to present God’s truth—not his own truth or merely the opinions of someone he follows. Their purpose is to serve as vessels and tools through whom the Holy Spirit can reveal the truth.

When people receive healing or another miracle, they should not give the praise to Pastor Leonard or Pastor Lori. All the praise belongs to God because the miracle comes through the Holy Spirit and the truth of God’s Word. Peter and Paul followed this pattern by refusing to take God’s glory for themselves.

Pastor Leonard recalls Jesus explaining why it was important for Him to go away. The Holy Spirit would come, guide believers into truth, testify of Jesus, and reveal their spiritual realities.

John 16:7 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.”

John 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

John 16:14 “He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”

Those realities include salvation and the truth that believers are blameless, holy, worthy, righteous, and justified. The Holy Spirit also leads believers into the realities of healing and prosperity. God receives all the glory and praise as His people receive revelation and understanding.

The Parable That Unlocks the Other Parables

This teaching expands upon Pastor Leonard’s earlier message about thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and one hundredfold fruit. He explains that Mark 4:13 captured his attention because Jesus identified the parable of the sower as essential to understanding the other parables.

During the sermon, Pastor Lori reads Mark 4:13 from the New Living Translation. The King James Version reads:

Mark 4:13 “And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? And how then will ye know all parables?”

Several days earlier, Pastor Leonard had asked Pastor Lori which parable Jesus indicated was essential to understanding all the other parables. She answered that it was the parable of the prodigal son because Pastor Leonard frequently teaches about it.

The prodigal son is part of Luke 15, which includes the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. Pastor Leonard considers her answer a very good one, even though it was not the parable to which Jesus was referring.

The passages about the lost sheep and the lost coin declare:

Luke 15:4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?”

Luke 15:5 “And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.”

Luke 15:6 “And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.”

Luke 15:7 “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”

Luke 15:8 “Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?”

Luke 15:9 “And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.”

Luke 15:10 “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

These are powerful parables, but the statement about understanding all the other parables appears in Mark 4:13. Pastor Leonard explains that a person must understand the sower and the soils to understand how the kingdom of God operates.

The Soil Represents the Soul

In the parable of the sower, the seed is God’s Word, while the different soils represent the condition of the hearer’s soul or mind.

Mark 4:14 “The sower soweth the word.”

Mark 4:15 “And these are they by the wayside, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.”

Mark 4:16 “And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;”

Mark 4:17 “And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.”

Mark 4:18 “And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,”

Mark 4:19 “And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.”

Mark 4:20 “And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.”

Some people’s minds are cluttered with things that should not be occupying them. These include worry, the cares of this world, concerns about obtaining money for food, health problems, thoughts about what might happen, and concern over what other people are experiencing.

People continually ask how they will manage tomorrow or how a difficult situation will be repaired. Their feelings, worries, cares, and anxieties begin to corrupt the soil of their souls. Those things then choke the truth when God’s Word is preached.

Faith comes through hearing God’s Word:

Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

It becomes difficult to hear the truth when the soul—consisting of the mind, will, and emotions—has become saturated with what Pastor Leonard calls “yuck.” When the soil is full of that clutter, there is little room for the good seed to penetrate and grow.

Getting Unstuck from the Yuck

Pastor Leonard uses the phrase “stuck in the yuck” to describe what happens when a person’s mind remains filled with worry, fear, anxiety, condemnation, religious confusion, and other thoughts that oppose God’s truth.

The Word that comes to the person is good. It is the gospel and the Word of the kingdom. However, the truth cannot properly penetrate because the person’s soul is already crowded with the wrong things. This connects with Pastor Leonard’s earlier teaching about taking thoughts captive. Believers are to cast down the thoughts that keep them stuck and bring their thinking into submission to the obedience of Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:5 “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

The focus is on what Christ has done and provided, not on human works or what people believe they must achieve for themselves.

Pastor Leonard openly acknowledges that he was once stuck in the yuck. There were occasions when the truth about healing or grace came to him, but he could not receive it. The soil of his soul had become hard. The enemy-centered mindset he had developed prevented the Word from penetrating. At other times, he initially recognized that a message was good, but he quickly returned to his old thinking. The Word did not take root in his soul, the seed did not germinate, and it did not produce thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or one hundredfold fruit.

Religious Traditions That Prevent the Word from Taking Root

Pastor Leonard asks Pastor Lori to name some things that can keep people stuck in the yuck. Together, they identify denominationalism, personal experience, traditionalism, things learned from parents, and legalism. These influences can build a great deal of clutter in the soul. When the truth arrives, it cannot penetrate deeply enough to produce the fruit God desires.

Pastor Leonard explains that if the kingdom of God is going to be active in a believer’s life, and if kingdom principles are going to operate effectively, the believer must get unstuck from the yuck. The soil or soul needs to remain clean so that the gospel of the kingdom can be received.

The gospel of Christ is God’s power unto salvation:

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

Pastor Lori clarifies that keeping the soul clean is not a work through which people earn God’s blessings. The power to produce the change belongs to God. Believers open themselves to Him and allow Him to work through the living, active, and powerful Word.

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

As believers remain in the Word and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal their true identity, they see themselves through the correct mirror. The Holy Spirit performs the work as they allow Him to show them who they are. People can hear an amazing truth and become excited when it first enters their minds. That excitement may leave when they return to denominationalism, traditionalism, legalism, mixture, or other harmful influences. What people watch and listen to can also affect the condition of the soil. Pastors Leonard and Lori therefore encourage believers to protect their soil.

The Prodigal Son and the Truth About God’s Love

The condition of a person’s soil affects how that person understands every other parable, including the parable of the lost son.

Someone whose thinking is rooted in legalism may believe the returning son must pay for everything he did wrong. That person may insist that the son must crawl home on his knees, beg, plead, and perform a rehearsed confession before his father can forgive him.

The parable instead describes a father who saw his son from a distance, had compassion, ran to him, embraced him, and kissed him.

Luke 15:20 “And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.”

The son began the confession he had rehearsed:

Luke 15:21 “And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.”

The father did not demand that the son complete a religious performance. He immediately commanded his servants to bring a robe, ring, and shoes and to prepare a celebration.

Luke 15:22 “But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.”

Luke 15:23 “And bring the fatted calf hither, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry.”

Luke 15:24 “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.”

A soul corrupted by denominationalism, traditionalism, legalism, and religious mixture may struggle to accept this picture of grace. The person may believe the son should have been required to pay before being restored. That illustrates why understanding the soil is essential to understanding the other parables.

Pastor Leonard recounts a conversation in which he asked someone whether he believed he was loved. The person hesitated because he wondered how God could love him if he was not pleasing God. He also wondered how he could please God if he was not doing everything he possibly could. That uncertainty did not arise from the gospel. It arose from a soul affected by denominationalism, traditionalism, and mixture.

Receiving the Gift of Righteousness

Pastor Leonard asked the same person whether he unequivocally believed he was righteous. Once again, the person paused. He had heard throughout his life that there was no one righteous.

Romans 3:10 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.”

When that statement is taken out of its proper setting and applied incorrectly to believers in Christ, it corrupts the soil. It can prevent a believer from receiving the truth about the gift of righteousness.

Those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:17 “For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.”

Pastor Leonard teaches that righteousness is the believer’s qualification for every promise God has given. It is therefore vitally important to prevent the soul from becoming corrupted by beliefs that contradict this gift.

Personal experience can also contaminate the soil. Pastors Leonard and Lori acknowledge that they experienced very little healing for thirty or thirty-five years. In fact, they experienced little of what God had provided because they were stuck in the yuck.

Their soil contained rocks, weeds, and briars produced by denominationalism, religion, and mixture. Thoughts such as “We have not done enough” and “We are not good enough” produced guilt, shame, and condemnation. Their souls became corrupted by those beliefs.

They emphasize again that receiving is not a work. God’s Word received into properly prepared garden soil will naturally produce thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and one hundredfold fruit.

Mark 4:20 “And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

Protecting and Preparing the Soil

Pastor Leonard presents a natural picture of someone attempting to plant a garden in the middle of a forest filled with thorns, briar patches, fallen branches, and other debris. No sensible person would select that ground without first preparing it and expect a productive garden.

Without healthy soil, the garden will not produce thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or one hundredfold growth.

Pastor Lori carefully tends two plants their son Stephen gave them. One of the most important parts of caring for those plants is tending the soil. She keeps it healthy, pure, and supplied with the proper nutrients.

Because of that care, they have an exceptionally beautiful Christmas cactus that blooms more frequently than expected. When it blooms, it is beautiful. They also have another plant whose name they do not know. It began as a very small plant but grew remarkably tall and wide. Pastor Leonard describes that growth as an example of one hundredfold fruit.

The plants thrive because Pastor Lori cares for their soil. If she had gathered random dirt containing rocks and weeds, put it into the pot, and attempted to grow the plants in it, they would not have survived.

In the same way, believers should not expect the seed of God’s Word to produce its intended results in souls crowded with worry, fear, legalism, guilt, shame, condemnation, and untruth. The soil must be renewed, cleared, and protected.

Thinking About What Is True, Pure, and Lovely

Keeping the garden clean involves renewing the mind, setting one’s thoughts correctly, clearing the soul of harmful clutter, and protecting the eye gates and ear gates.

People should pay close attention to what they allow themselves to watch and hear. Their thoughts should remain fixed on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise.

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Thinking about these things helps keep the soil free from the yuck.

Pastor Lori reminds believers that they have the Holy Spirit to help them. There is no pressure to accomplish this transformation through human strength. The Holy Spirit guides the believer and performs the work through the truth.

Adam and Eve’s Responsibility to Protect the Garden

Pastor Leonard explains that things recorded in the Old Testament were given as examples.

1 Corinthians 10:6 “Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.”

1 Corinthians 10:11 “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”

While Pastor Leonard was lying in bed after rising early to worship, praise, and prepare for Sunday’s message, a picture came to his mind that illustrated Jesus’ teaching about the soils.

He pictured Adam and Eve in the beautiful Garden of Eden. Their soil was beautiful, and they had been created in God’s image and likeness.

Genesis 1:26 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”

Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

They were created in perfection, truly holy and righteous. Everything they needed had been provided, and they did not experience sickness. God gave Adam the responsibility to dress and keep the garden.

Genesis 2:15 “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.”

God also told Adam that he could freely eat from the trees of the garden, with one specific exception.

Genesis 2:16 “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat.”

Genesis 2:17 “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Pastor Leonard explains that dressing and keeping the garden was not about Adam having to labor to earn God’s provision. It represented protecting the garden’s soil and protecting the soul from ideas that contradicted the truth about what God had already provided. The serpent, representing the enemy, then entered and attempted to infiltrate Adam and Eve’s belief system.

Genesis 3:1 “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”

Genesis 3:2 “And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden.”

Genesis 3:3 “But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.”

The serpent introduced untruth into their thinking:

Genesis 3:4 “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:”

Genesis 3:5 “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”

The enemy attempted to fill their minds with yuck that would get them stuck in sin and destroy their lives. Instead of protecting their garden, soil, and souls, they allowed untruth to enter through their eyes and ears.

Genesis 3:6 “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”

Genesis 3:7 “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.”

Pastor Leonard explains that allowing those untruths into their belief system brought humanity and the world into the terrible condition that followed.

Their story demonstrates the importance of protecting the garden, the soul, and the soil. By guarding the truth of what God has provided, believers can live in dominion, authority, abundance, power, provision, wellness, and healing.

Living in the Garden Jesus Restored

Pastor Lori closes the central teaching by declaring that life is awesome. Believers have the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, and direct them. The Father wants His children to live in the richness of the life He has provided.

Adam allowed the garden to become corrupted, but Jesus repaired what Adam ruined. Jesus paid the full price so believers could live in the wonderful garden of God’s provision.

Believers should therefore refuse to allow their soil or soul to become corrupted. They can rely upon the Holy Spirit, remain receptive to God’s Word, protect what enters their minds, and live in the truth of Christ’s completed work.

Grace Giving and God’s Provision

Pastors Leonard and Lori thank those who bless and support the ministry. Pastor Lori describes their supporters as God’s hand extended because their generosity enables the ministry to reach and bless others.

Pastor Leonard then discusses the promise in Philippians 4:19:

Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

He briefly mispeaks by saying “your riches” before correcting himself to “his riches,” producing a moment of laughter. He then encourages listeners to read the surrounding verses and understand the promise in context.

Paul’s statement about God supplying every need follows his acknowledgment of the Philippians’ loving and gracious support. Pastor Leonard explains that this grace provision was connected with their grace-giving. Paul was thanking and commending them for supporting his ministry.

Grace released allows more grace to be revealed. As believers allow the grace within them to bless others through their giving, God causes His provision and the blessings stored within them to be released.

Pastors Leonard and Lori again thank their listeners for being God’s hand extended. They direct anyone who wishes to support the ministry to visit the website and select the giving option to see the available methods. They close by expressing their love and wishing everyone a wonderful week.

We hope this article blessed you and helped you understand the importance of keeping the garden of your soul clean and receptive to God’s truth. Please share this teaching with others so they can receive the truth about grace, righteousness, the Holy Spirit, and the abundant life Jesus has provided.