Pastor Philip Nissley has been the Senior Pastor of New Hope Assembly for 24+ years. He has a passion for the Downriver community and Detroit to be changed by the power of God.
SPIRITUALITY AND FAITH
DETERMINATES OF YOUR DESTINY IN 2020
Article by Pastor Philip Nissley,
New Hope Assembly of God, Taylor, MI
Years ago, the courthouse in Rocky River, Ohio stood in a unique location. Raindrops that fell on the north side of the building went into Lake Ontario and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, while those that fell on the south side went into the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. At precisely the point of the peak of the roof, a puff of wind could make a difference of more than 2,000 miles as to the destiny of many raindrops and their final destination. The spiritual application is clear. We can let influences in life change the course of our lives both in this life and also affect our eternal destiny or we can submit all to God. Ephesians 1 shows:
GOD CHOSE US TO CHANGE OUR UNGODLY DESTINY
A. Whom Did God Choose?
“He chose us” (Eph. 1:4a). This idea of altering man’s destiny by God choosing people is seen throughout the Bible. In Genesis 12:1 – Out of all the people in Ur of the Chaldees, God chose Abraham. In Psalm 135:4 – God chose Jacob over Esau, “For the LORD chose Jacob to himself,
and Israel for his peculiar treasure.” In Deut. 7:6 – God chose the nation of Israel “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.” In I Peter 2:9 – God chose you “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God”. God chose you, but you may ask:
B. When Did God Choose?
“before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4b). An all-knowing God chose you in spite of all He knew about you. Rom. 8:29 says, “For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to become