Captured By A Heavenly Vision (Sunday, July 27, 2025)

Good morning, church!

What a joy it is to be here with all of you today. My heart is truly full. I want to thank Pastor Manoj and this congregation for opening your arms and welcoming me. And I especially want to acknowledge Pastor Glenn Cunningham. It’s a divine connection, and I believe our steps are ordered by the Lord. When I see what God is doing here in Portland, my heart rejoices because it tells me—God is not finished. He is still working. He is still moving.

I remember coming to this church many years ago when it was in a different location. So to be here again, and to worship with you today, is more than just another Sunday service—it’s a testimony of God’s grace and faithfulness.

Let me begin by sharing a very personal story.

About a year ago, I never imagined I would stand and preach again. I was fighting for every breath I took. I had developed severe pulmonary fibrosis. I couldn’t walk five feet. I couldn’t climb a single step. I couldn’t speak without intense coughing. I was on oxygen 24/7. I carried a machine with me everywhere I went. I was weak, and I was weary.

Eventually, I had a double lung transplant. Two new lungs. Breathing today because of someone else's lungs. And even though the surgery was successful, what came after was even more critical. The danger of rejection. The risk of infection. The fear of every breath. Doctors told me I should not travel, that I should avoid crowds, that I should wear a mask and stay isolated.

But here I am.

Standing before you—not because of anything I’ve done—but because of the mercy and healing power of Almighty God. I don’t take this moment for granted. And I want to say to anyone here who is facing illness, discouragement, or impossible odds: our God still heals. He still restores. He still makes a way where there is no way.

And not tomorrow. Today.
Not in theory. In reality.

If you are seeking healing today—emotional, physical, spiritual—then hear me clearly: God is ready to meet you right now. You don’t have to leave this sanctuary the same way you came in.

Now I want to turn our attention to Acts 26:19, where Paul stands before King Agrippa and says:

“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.”

That’s where this message was born.
Let me speak to you today about being Captured by a Heavenly Vision.

THE POWER OF A HEAVENLY VISION

There’s something about a vision from God that changes everything. When Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he wasn’t just converted—he was commissioned. He saw something greater than himself. A vision that gave him a new name, a new mission, and a new future.

You see, when heaven gives you a vision, you can’t stay where you are. You can’t keep doing what you used to do. The scales fall off your eyes. Your direction shifts. Your priorities change. Your values are turned upside down.

Paul was once Saul—a man full of religion but empty of revelation. But when the heavenly vision came, Saul the persecutor became Paul the preacher.

So let me ask you: what is your vision? What are you living for? What is propelling your steps each day? Is it just survival? Is it routine? Or has something divine captured your soul?

I believe God is calling this church—and every individual in it—to rise above the ordinary. We are not here just to go through religious motions. We are here to become vessels of a divine assignment.

You were not saved just to go to heaven.
You were saved to carry heaven into the earth.

THREE KINDS OF PEOPLE

I once heard someone say that there are three kinds of people in the world:

1. Those who make things happen.

2. Those who watch things happen.

3. And those who wonder what happened.

Which one are you?

Those who make things happen are not necessarily the smartest, the richest, or the most experienced. Often, they are simply people captured by a vision. They may not have all the answers, but they have one thing: conviction. They have direction. And that direction comes from the voice of God.

When your vision is from heaven, what seems impossible becomes possible. When your vision is from heaven, you walk into situations with no resources, and somehow God provides. When your vision is from heaven, your limitations no longer define you—your obedience does.

Let me be clear: we do not need more small dreams. We need God-sized dreams. Visions that are impossible without Him. Visions that stretch us, challenge us, scare us, and ultimately transform us.

Microsoft and Apple may have impressive corporate visions—but the vision from God doesn’t end in this life. It ripples into eternity.

OAK TREES, NOT SQUASHES

James Garfield once said, “When God wants an oak tree, He takes 100 years. When He wants a squash, He takes two months.”

What are you building?
Something temporary or something that will last generations?

Squashes are easy. Quick. Short-lived.
But an oak tree? That takes time. That takes patience. That takes faith.

Some of you may be in the waiting room of your calling right now. You’re saying, “Why is it taking so long, Lord?” But God may be growing an oak tree inside you.

Don’t rush it.
Don’t settle for shallow when God is calling you to deep.

YOUNG MEN AND OLD MEN

Acts 2:17 says:

“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.”

I love this verse. It’s not just poetic—it’s prophetic.

God says the young will see visions, and the old will dream dreams. In other words, no one is left out. In the kingdom of God, age is not a disqualifier—it’s a multiplier.

Young people: ask God for a vision that will guide your life.
Older people: don’t give up on your dreams just because your hair is gray or your knees ache.

This is the beauty of the body of Christ—young and old, dreamers and visionaries, working side-by-side for the kingdom.

JOSEPH, PAUL, AND JIMMY

Joseph had a dream, and despite betrayal and prison, that dream became destiny.

Paul had a vision, and he went from religious violence to radical love.

And there was once a boy named Jimmy, who stared at the moon from his bedroom window and said, “Mommy, one day I’ll walk on that moon.” 32 years later, James Irwin became one of just twelve men in history to walk on the surface of the moon.

Don’t despise small beginnings. Don’t dismiss your childhood dreams. Don’t forget what God whispered in your heart when no one else believed.

If God gave it to you, He will bring it to pass.

OBLIGATED, EAGER, AND UNASHAMED

Paul says in Romans 1:14-16:

• “I am obligated…” – we have a responsibility to the world.

• “I am eager…” – we must have passion to carry out that responsibility.

• “I am not ashamed…” – we must walk in boldness, without fear.

Church, we are obligated to the people of Portland, to Oregon, to this nation, and even to the ends of the earth. We are called not to hide but to shine. Not to retreat but to advance.

OUR GOD IS ABLE

Let me close with this beautiful passage from Ephesians 3:20-21:

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us…”

God is not just able to do what you ask.
He is able to do more than you can even imagine.

So why are we limiting our prayers?
Why are we reducing our dreams?
Why are we putting God inside a box?

He is able. And He is willing.

So today, I call you—every family, every parent, every child, every elder—to lift your eyes again. Receive a vision that’s bigger than your current reality. Let the Holy Spirit ignite your imagination again. Let the fire of calling burn in your bones.

This church will not remain the same. This room will overflow. Your ministry will multiply. Your impact will expand. Not because of your strength, but because of the heavenly vision that captures your heart.

Receive it today.
Walk in it tomorrow.
And watch what God will do in the days ahead.

May the Lord bless you, keep you, and give you vision that shapes eternity.

Amen.

God's Ways Are Higher (Sunday, July 20, 2025)

Good morning, dear brothers and sisters.
What a tremendous joy it is to be here with you this morning. I consider it an honor and a privilege to stand before you and share from God’s precious Word. I bring you warm greetings from Finland, where my family and I serve the Lord. Finland, as you may know, is a small country sandwiched between Russia and Sweden — right between East and West. And yet, in this small country, God is moving. We give Him all the glory for what He is doing.

I serve as a mission pastor in Finland at a Pentecostal church, and I have the joy of traveling wherever God opens the doors, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. We also have a weekly radio program, a TV ministry, and an online Bible school that is now reaching over ten countries. Only God can open these doors. I have been privileged to minister in many places — recently in India again — and what a joy it always is to see God’s people hungry for His Word.

I am so blessed to have my family with me — my precious wife, Paula, my son Isaac, and my daughter Lila. They are not just family to me, but they are my partners in ministry. They love the Lord, and together we are serving Him. My sister Neelam is also with us. She works faithfully in missions, often in hard places, among people many might forget — but God never forgets them. All of us are simply servants, walking in the calling God has given us, trusting Him for each step forward.

This morning, I want to share with you a simple, but deeply important truth: “God’s Ways Are Higher.”
This is not just a theological idea. This is something I have learned, experienced, and relearned over and over in my walk with God.

Isaiah 55:8-9 says:

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Brothers and sisters, I have come to realize that we all have our ways — our opinions, our expectations, our plans. We often think we know how things should go, how people should behave, how life should unfold. But God reminds us: His ways are not like ours. His thoughts are higher. His plans are wiser. His purposes are eternal.

And yet, even knowing this, how often do we wrestle with God’s ways? How often do we question Him? How often do we try to bring God down to fit into our way of doing things, rather than humbling ourselves to walk in His?

Let me share with you some examples from Scripture where God’s ways clearly challenge our human ways:

1. How we treat others.

Man says: Love those who love you.
God says: Love your enemies. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:43-48).

This teaching of Jesus is radical. It’s not humanly natural. But it is divine. Our Father makes the sun rise on the good and the evil; He sends rain on the just and the unjust. He calls us to reflect His character, not the world’s.

2. How we deal with offense.

Man says: If someone wrongs me, I’ll get even.
God says: Do not repay evil for evil. Overcome evil with good (Romans 12:17-21).

Forgiveness is not weakness; it is strength. God teaches us to leave revenge in His hands. He alone judges righteously.

3. How we respond to others’ success.

Man feels jealousy when others are honored.
God says: Rejoice with those who rejoice (1 Corinthians 12:26).

When others succeed, we celebrate. When others suffer, we share their pain. This is how the body of Christ works.

4. Who deserves the glory.

Man seeks glory for himself.
God says: Not unto us, O Lord, but to Your name be the glory (Psalm 115:1).

The world loves self-promotion, but our purpose is to glorify the Lord in all we do.

5. How we treat people.

Man uses people for his own benefit.
God calls us to serve and empower others (1 Thessalonians 2:5).

True leadership is not manipulation. It’s not control. It’s empowerment, raising others up for the glory of God.

6. How we handle worry.

Man says: I must control everything.
God says: Cast all your cares on Me, for I care for you (1 Peter 5:7).

Worry adds nothing to our lives. Trust in God brings peace.

7. Our attitude towards wealth.

Man says: Get more by any means.
God says: Be content with what you have. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:6-10).

Wealth itself is not evil — Abraham, Job, and Solomon were wealthy. But it is the love of money, the craving for it above all else, that destroys lives.

I also want to share with you the story of David bringing the Ark of God to Jerusalem. David had a good and godly desire — he wanted to bring the Ark, the symbol of God’s presence, into the heart of the city. But the first time, he did it the wrong way. He followed the world’s method, placing it on a cart like the Philistines had done. That mistake led to tragedy. Uzzah was struck down. The music stopped. The celebration became mourning.

David was confused. He was angry. “Lord, I was doing this for You! Why this tragedy?”
But then David sought God’s Word. He realized: the Ark was never meant to be carried on a cart. It was to be carried on the shoulders of the Levites, as God had commanded.

Friends, even good intentions must follow God’s ways. Zeal without knowledge is dangerous. Religious enthusiasm without obedience leads to disaster.

The second time, David did it right — God’s way. And this time, there was blessing, there was joy, and there was victory.
How often do we, like David, rush ahead, doing what seems right in our own eyes — only to find ourselves facing confusion and hardship? God’s ways may seem slower. They may require humility, patience, submission. But they lead to life.

Moses knew God’s ways. Jesus Himself, in Gethsemane, prayed the ultimate prayer of surrender: “Not My will, but Yours be done.” And because Jesus walked in the Father’s way, He conquered sin, death, and the grave. Today, at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that He is Lord!

1 John 2 reminds us: The world is passing away — its lusts, its pride, its temporary glory. But whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Some people say, as they did in Ezekiel’s time, “God’s ways are not fair.” But God answers: “Is it not your ways that are unfair?” He calls us to repent, to turn from sin, and to live. God’s heart is not for judgment but for redemption. He says, “Why should you die? Turn, and live!”

I want to leave you with this beautiful promise from Isaiah 55:10-12:

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void. It shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace.”

When we walk in God’s ways, we walk in joy. We walk in peace. His Word will not fail. His promises remain true.

My prayer for you, for myself, for all of us today is this:
“Lord, help me to know Your ways. Help me to walk in them. Give me the humility to surrender my thoughts, my ambitions, my will to You. Teach me Your paths. Show me Your ways. I want to do Your will. I want to walk in obedience, not in assumption. Not my will, but Yours be done.”

Brothers and sisters, when we walk in God’s higher ways, we will find His peace, His joy, and His blessing — not just for this life, but for eternity.

Amen.

Draw On His Strength When You Face Challenges

I believe that the Lord has laid in my heart a specific word for the church this morning. For years, whenever someone went through hardship, I would comfort them by saying, “Don’t worry — God would not allow this if He didn’t know you could handle it.” It sounded good. It sounded compassionate. But church, that is not the truth of Scripture. That is the world’s message. That is the message of Hollywood, of humanistic thinking — “Look within yourself, find the strength inside you, you can do it.” But the Bible teaches the opposite.

Everywhere we look around we see stories and movies that try to tell that you are a hero and that you can look with yourself and find strength. It is that foundation that makes you think that in the time of crisis, you just look within you.

The truth that we understand from scripture is that if you look within you during time of crisis, you will still see emptiness.

2 Corinthians 1:8-9 says this so clearly. Paul writes, “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” Church, God allows situations that we cannot handle on our own. Why? So that we will stop trusting in ourselves and trust fully in Him. This is where true faith is born.

It is not about what is inside of us apart from Christ. Apart from Him, Jesus says in John 15:5, “you can do nothing.” Our strength does not come from looking inward; it comes from abiding in Christ. It comes from surrender. The world says “look within,” but Scripture says, “look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

Paul speaks again in 2 Corinthians 4:7, saying, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” We are weak vessels, fragile, ordinary, but we carry within us the treasure of the gospel, the power of the Spirit. Why? So that no one would mistake where the strength comes from. It is not ours. It is His.

Paul continues in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, saying, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.” Church, this is the perspective we must have. What feels unbearable now — the trial, the suffering, the waiting — is light and momentary when compared to eternity. It is achieving something far greater in us. Romans 8:18 echoes this: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

But we struggle when we look at our situation through natural eyes. That is why Paul exhorts us to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). When we walk by faith, we realize who we are in Christ. Ephesians 2:6 tells us we are already seated with Him in heavenly places. Our perspective must rise to where we are seated spiritually, not sink down to where we are standing physically.

In Ezekiel 37 — we read about the valley of dry bones. Sometimes God leads us into places that look hopeless. Lifeless. Places where we say, “There’s no future here.” But God leads us there for a reason: to remind us that His Word has power to bring life where there is none. He told Ezekiel, “Prophesy to these bones.” Church, we must learn to speak the Word of God over our circumstances. Over our families. Over our hearts. Over the lost people in our lives. Speak life, not death. Speak faith, not doubt. Speak hope, not fear.

Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” Speak the Word. Declare it. Prophesy over your situations. Sometimes you will see bones come together, but no breath yet. Do not stop. Keep speaking. Keep waiting on the Lord. The breath will come. His Spirit will move.

And in all of this, let us not forget that God is a jealous God (Exodus 34:14). He does not share His glory. Let no man say, “I got through this by my strength.” Let no woman boast, “It was my wisdom that brought me through.” No, it is the Lord.

So church, let us rise up again today in faith. Not in our own strength, but in His. Let us speak His promises over our lives. Over dry bones. Over impossible situations. He is the God who raises the dead. He is the God who speaks light into darkness. He is the God who brings beauty from ashes.

Today, as we close in prayer and worship, let’s surrender afresh. Let’s fix our eyes on the unseen, on the eternal, on the faithful One who has promised, and who will surely do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24).

Amen.