Teaching summary
Pastors Leonard and Lori Rola explain that what people repeatedly allow into their minds affects their thoughts, words, physical bodies, and daily lives. Believers must guard their eyes and ears against teachings that mix law and grace or produce guilt, shame, condemnation, and a sense of never doing enough. The Holy Spirit helps believers remember who they are in Christ and direct their attention toward truth instead of worry and negativity. Because the body reacts to thoughts as well as spoken words, believers are encouraged to keep their spiritual soil clean and continually think upon their righteous, holy, and victorious identity in Christ.
Bible verses referenced
Mark 4:13 “And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? And how then will ye know all parables?”
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
John 19:30 “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”
Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.”
Teaching notes
Table of Contents
- Building Upon the Parable of the Soil
- Blameless and Holy Through Faith in Jesus Christ
- Understanding the Foundational Parable
- Guarding the Ear Gates and Eye Gates
- Cleaning and Clearing the Soil of the Mind
- Becoming What You Continually Think About
- The Holy Spirit Helps Believers Think Correctly
- Words Carry the Capacity for Blessing and Cursing
- The Receiver Determines What Comes Through
- Your Body Hears and Reacts to Your Thoughts
- Silent Prayer and the Power of Internal Thoughts
- Repeated Thoughts Become Instructions
- The Mind Strengthens What Is Repeated
- Remembering Who You Are and Thinking Right
- A Closing Message of Love and Appreciation
Building Upon the Parable of the Soil
Pastor Leonard opens the teaching by greeting everyone alongside his wife, Pastor Lori. They are excited to share some of the revelations the Lord has been giving them, and they hope those revelations will bless everyone listening.
The teaching builds upon the previous Sunday’s message concerning the thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and hundredfold return. Pastor Leonard encourages anyone who has not heard that message to go back and listen to it. He explains that the message has been receiving favorable responses and views through YouTube, Facebook, the ministry’s website, and Roku television.
This subject is important because Jesus identified the parable of the sower as foundational to understanding His other parables.
Mark 4:13 “And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? And how then will ye know all parables?”
Jesus asked how people could understand all the other parables if they did not understand this particular one. Therefore, understanding the seed, the soil, and what prevents the seed from producing is essential to understanding how the kingdom of God works.
Before continuing, Pastors Leonard and Lori express their love and appreciation for everyone supporting the ministry. Pastor Lori thanks the supporters for allowing God to use them as His hand extended.
Blameless and Holy Through Faith in Jesus Christ
Pastor Lori greets the listeners as saints, calling them blameless and holy ones. Pastor Leonard agrees and explains what this means. Believers are righteous, sanctified, justified, and holy because of their faith in Jesus Christ.
Their standing with God is all about Jesus and not about their own works or performance. This is what makes the gospel of grace appear almost too good to be true. Everything believers possess in their relationship with God is based upon what Jesus accomplished rather than what they could accomplish for themselves.
Pastor Leonard emphasizes that salvation is not of works because works would give people an opportunity to boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
If salvation were based upon works, it would become a reward for human performance. Grace, however, is not a reward. Grace is a gift. This distinction is essential because the gospel of grace directs all attention and glory toward Jesus Christ rather than human effort.
Understanding the Foundational Parable
Pastor Leonard returns to the parable found in Mark chapter 4. Jesus plainly stated that people must understand this parable if they are going to understand the others.
Mark 4:13 “And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? And how then will ye know all parables?”
The parable reveals how the kingdom of God works. The kingdom produces through soil that does not contain spiritual “yuck.” Pastors Leonard and Lori describe this as refusing to become “stuck in the yuck.”
When the soil is clean and has not been contaminated, it will produce when it hears the truth. Pastor Leonard connects this to the way faith comes through hearing.
Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
He describes this hearing as hearing the words of Christ or hearing about Christ. When a person’s soul has not been tainted with mixture, hearing about Christ causes faith to rise. That faith will produce fruit within the person’s life and throughout every area of life.
This is the thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and hundredfold production discussed in the earlier message. Pastor Lori observes that this represents a great deal of fruit.
Guarding the Ear Gates and Eye Gates
Pastor Leonard explains that believers have a responsibility to guard their ear gates and eye gates. They must pay attention to what they hear and what they watch so they do not allow spiritual “yuck” into their minds.
In previous teachings, the pastors explained that the New Testament is not automatically identical to the New Covenant. The New Testament writings contain references to and teachings concerning different covenants. Therefore, believers must learn to identify their own covenant, which is the covenant of grace.
Believers must distinguish the pure gospel of grace from messages containing a mixture of covenants. Pastor Leonard offers a practical way of recognizing mixture. When listening to a message, believers should consider what it produces within them.
A message consistent with the gospel of grace causes a person to recognize something beautiful that appears too good to be true. A message containing a mixture may leave the listener feeling guilt, shame, or condemnation. It may tell people they are not doing enough, are not working hard enough, or must do more to earn something from God.
That is not the gospel of grace. The gospel is not based upon human works or boasting.
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Believers must protect what enters through their ears and eyes so they do not become stuck in a mixture of law and grace. Guarding the mind and keeping the spiritual soil clean and clear are extremely important.
Cleaning and Clearing the Soil of the Mind
Pastor Lori recalls listening as Pastor Leonard preached about cleaning and clearing the soil. She explains that the soil represents the mind and is connected to the soul, including the mind, will, and emotions.
This caused her to think once again about the importance of taking care of her mind. What people continually think about affects them. Because the mind is so important, Pastor Lori keeps a file folder containing information that reminds her about the importance and power of thoughts.
The purpose of cleaning the soil is not to place believers under pressure. It is to protect their ability to receive the truth about Jesus Christ without allowing guilt, shame, condemnation, fear, or religious mixture to interfere with it.
When the soil remains clean, hearing the truth allows faith to arise.
Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
That faith then produces fruit throughout the believer’s life.
Becoming What You Continually Think About
Pastor Lori gives a humorous personal example involving food. She says she thought about Big Macs and Whoppers with cheese all the time. Although she did not literally turn into a Whopper with cheese, those thoughts influenced what she ate. In that sense, she became what she continually thought about because it affected her weight and health.
Pastor Leonard agrees that this provides powerful evidence of the influence thoughts can have. Thoughts direct attention, shape choices, and can eventually produce visible effects within a person’s life and body.
The principle is illustrated by the biblical statement concerning a person becoming as that person thinks.
Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.”
Pastor Lori’s example demonstrates that thoughts are not harmless simply because they remain internal. Repeated thoughts influence desires and actions, and those actions can affect a person’s health and circumstances.
The Holy Spirit Helps Believers Think Correctly
Some people may respond by saying that controlling the mind is too difficult or impossible. Pastor Lori rejects that conclusion. The Bible contains abundant instruction about what believers should think about, and believers have the Holy Spirit to help them think correctly.
The Holy Spirit helps believers remember their spiritual realities and who they are in Christ. New Life Ministry and Leonard Rola Ministries also continually remind believers of their identity, including the truth that they are righteous, holy, and worthy because of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Lori emphasizes that thinking correctly does not have to be hard. Even when someone is tempted to worry, the Bible instructs believers not to worry about anything.
Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
Pastor Lori sees this instruction as an expression of God’s love. God loves His children so much that He does not want them living under worry. His desire is for them to live free from anxiety and fear.
The pastors want to give believers practical truths that will help them control their thoughts, understand how deeply God loves them, and recognize that they do not have to worry. Their thoughts matter, and God has created them for thoughts that agree with their true identity in Christ. They are loved by God, and life is to be viewed from the perspective of that love.
Words Carry the Capacity for Blessing and Cursing
Pastor Lori shares one of the truths she keeps in her collection of helpful reminders. Words are among the most powerful things in a person’s world because they contain the capacity for blessing and cursing.
God desires to give believers His present words—His faith-filled words. He gives people those words so that their own words can change what is happening within their hearts and minds and fill them with victory.
God’s words fill believers with the life He planned for them, wants for them, and has already provided through Jesus Christ. When Jesus was on the cross, He declared that His work was finished.
John 19:30 “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”
Jesus paid for everything. His finished work is the foundation of the believer’s identity, blessing, and victory. God placed people upon the earth to bless them, not to curse them. For this reason, their thoughts and words are extremely important.
The Receiver Determines What Comes Through
Pastor Lori uses the television and Bose stereo system in their home as an illustration. When they turn on the Bose system, the sound coming through it is beautiful. However, the system can only release the sound it has received.
In the same way, what comes out of a person is determined by what that person has received. Believers can speak the truth, quote the truth, and stand in the truth when their internal receivers have first received the truth.
This is why believers must keep their souls clean and pure. They must refuse to allow spiritual mixture, condemnation, and other forms of “yuck” into their minds. When the yuck is not allowed into the soil, they will not become stuck in it. The illustration reinforces the importance of guarding the eyes and ears. What enters a person’s internal receiver will eventually influence that person’s thoughts, words, and responses.
Your Body Hears and Reacts to Your Thoughts
Pastor Lori explains that most people assume thoughts remain confined to the mind. She once believed that an unspoken thought could not cause much harm because it had not been said aloud or shared with anyone else.
However, the body does not make that distinction. The body does not dismiss something merely because it was thought rather than spoken. According to Pastor Lori, the body hears a person’s thoughts in the same manner that it hears the person’s spoken words. It then reacts to those thoughts. The body does not say that something is “just a thought” and therefore does not matter. Thoughts communicate messages to the body, and the body responds accordingly.
Pastor Leonard connects this principle to the biblical statement concerning the relationship between a person’s thoughts and identity.
Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.”
Thoughts are powerful because they can affect emotions, choices, attention, physical responses, and daily actions. The fact that a thought has not been spoken aloud does not mean that it has no effect.
Silent Prayer and the Power of Internal Thoughts
Pastor Leonard adds that the power and significance of thoughts also apply to prayer. A believer does not always have to pray aloud for God to hear.
He teaches children that an internal prayer is just as real and meaningful as a spoken prayer. A child sitting in a classroom can pray silently. A person experiencing a challenge with someone else can also pray internally. God hears those prayers even though no words are spoken aloud.
Pastor Leonard’s point strengthens the message that thoughts are powerful. Just as the body can respond to internal thoughts, God can hear the prayers offered silently from within the believer’s heart and mind.
Believers are therefore never separated from the opportunity to pray. Whether they are in a classroom, facing a difficult interaction, or unable to speak aloud, they can turn their thoughts toward God and pray. This also connects with the instruction to bring every concern to God instead of remaining trapped in worry.
Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
God loves believers and does not want them carrying anxiety. They can bring their concerns to Him through both spoken and silent prayer.
Repeated Thoughts Become Instructions
Pastor Lori explains that every sentence a person continually repeats becomes an instruction. The body hears those repeated sentences.
This makes both thoughts and spoken words important. What people repeatedly say to themselves can train their attention, shape their expectations, and influence how their bodies respond. A person who continually repeats words about defeat, fear, sickness, worry, or everything wrong is giving repeated instructions to the mind and body. In contrast, a believer who receives, thinks about, and speaks the truth is directing attention toward the realities provided through Jesus Christ.
Faith arises through hearing the word of God.
Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Because repeated words become instructions, believers should fill their internal receivers with the truth, speak the truth, quote the truth, and stand in the truth.
The Mind Strengthens What Is Repeated
Pastor Lori compares the brain to a muscle because it strengthens what is repeatedly used. Pastor Leonard agrees with the comparison and emphasizes that the brain functions like a muscle in this respect.
When a person’s attention continually locks onto everything wrong, the mind becomes trained to focus on problems. It continually thinks about what is wrong and searches for additional evidence that everything is wrong. This focus can also affect the body.
Pastor Lori illustrates this with a physical cut. A cut may still hurt, but when a person becomes busy and directs attention toward something else, that person may temporarily forget the cut is there. Because the mind is focused elsewhere, the pain may not seem as strong.
This example shows how attention can affect a person’s experience. Continually focusing on what is wrong reinforces the awareness of the problem. Directing the mind toward something else changes what receives attention and what the mind strengthens.
Believers must therefore guard what they repeatedly think about. Their spiritual soil must remain clean and clear so that the truth about Jesus, grace, righteousness, holiness, and victory can take root and produce fruit.
Remembering Who You Are and Thinking Right
Pastor Lori concludes her collection of thoughts by reminding listeners that their thoughts matter. Believers are blessed, and the Holy Spirit is present to help them with their thoughts.
The Holy Spirit reminds believers of their spiritual realities and who they truly are. He leads them into truth. They do not have to accept thoughts rooted in worry, condemnation, guilt, shame, or the belief that they are not doing enough.
Believers are righteous, holy, sanctified, justified, blameless, and worthy because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Their identity is based upon Him and not upon their own works.
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Because their identity and salvation are gifts of grace, believers can reject teachings and thoughts that continually place them under pressure to earn what Jesus has already provided.
Jesus completed the work.
John 19:30 “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”
Believers can think correctly by remembering the finished work of Jesus, receiving the truth of grace, and allowing the Holy Spirit to remind them who they are.
A Closing Message of Love and Appreciation
Pastors Leonard and Lori explain that they will continue teaching about this subject because of its importance. They may return to it during upcoming Tuesday and Thursday sessions and allow Pastor Lori to share more of the truths and reminders she has collected.
They close by expressing their love and thanking everyone for all they do for New Life Ministry. They are praying that God will speak to the supporters because those supporters are God’s hand extended. Through them, God helps meet the needs of the ministry.
The pastors thank everyone for prayerfully considering how they can be a blessing. Their final encouragement is simple and direct: think right.
We hope this article blessed you and helped you understand why your thoughts, words, and spiritual focus matter. Share this teaching with others so they can learn to guard their hearts and minds, remain established in the pure gospel of grace, and remember who they are because of the finished work of Jesus Christ.