The Inseparable Love of God (1) [ Romans 8:38-39 ] Why can nothing separate us from the love of God? 1. Because God’s love is eternal. Romans 8:29a says: “For those whom He foreknew…” The word “foreknew” refers to before eternity began —before the creation of heaven and earth . The phrase “those whom He foreknew” does not simply mean knowing about someone intellectually, but rather loving them. In other words, it refers to “those whom God loved from eternity past.” Amos 3:2a says: “You only have I known of all the families of the earth.” If “known” merely meant intellectual knowledge, that would imply that God only knew Israel and did not know the other nations—which cannot be true, because the all-knowing God lacks knowledge of nothing. Therefore, “I have known you only” means “I have loved you only.” God loved Israel among all the nations of the earth. Hosea 13:5 says: “I knew you in the wilderness , in the land of great drought.” The “wilderness” was where the Israelite...
About Burnout "As I slowly recovered from the burnout incident here's what the Lord taught me: * Focus on the Lord's definition of success. Ministry isn't about numbers. It's about faithfully preaching, teaching, and loving the people. * Seek help from a mature Christian friend or Christian counselor when appropriate. * Share the load ~ with staff, elders, deacons, and trusted friends and members. * Don't neglect your spiritual, physical and mental health." [Christopher Ash, "ZEAL without BURNOUT"]