People to People

The Greatness of God

2012-02-07T12:25:00.000-08:00

February 7, 2012 Hi everyone!
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” Ephesians 6:10-20

Recently, a church member approached me following one of our services and asked a question: “Pastor, do Baptists not talk about the devil? I don’t recall in any of your messages where you talk about the devil! Is there a particular reason why this subject is not talked about?” I tried to answer the question as honestly as I could and said: “I am not sure why other Baptist churches and their pastors do not speak much about the devil but I believe that it is due to personal preference. For me, to the contrary, I do talk about the devil fairly often, calling him by the names in the Bible as “the enemy of our souls”, “Satan”, “ the evil one”, the “accuser”, the “thief that comes to steal, kill and destroy, the father of lies”. BUT I make a conscious effort not to give him center stage and prominence in any of my messages. The Bible is quite clear when it says that “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4) Christ in us gives us the authority and the power to overcome the evil one. I choose not to give Satan any more attention than necessary. I believe that God alone is Creator and the devil is like us in that we are created beings, lesser than God. That is why we call God Almighty! James 4:7 reminds us that our focus instead is to be on God. “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

If we keep our focus on God, then He gives us all that we need to resist the “flaming arrows” of the evil one and we will then enjoy the fullest life possible! Live life to the full, Kinoole! Fix your eyes fully on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith and stand fast! Stand firm on His Word and pray. And thank you for praying for Gail and me and our families! We are indeed blessed to have your prayer support! Pastor Daniel

A Belated Happy New Year Greeting!

2012-01-12T16:40:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! Sorry this is already twelve days late but maybe the saying "Better late than never!" applies here! This comes with a New Year's prayer, from the Apostle Paul's letter to the Ephesian church in chapter 1:15-20 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms. . . the Apostle Peter caugtht this thought when he wrote his letter to the saints in 2 Peter 1:3-4 "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." God makes His power available for life and godly living but we cannot go with God and remain the same as we are. As we begin this new year, remember what Jesus said to the Apostle John in Revelation 2 to give to the church of Ephesus: "Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place." May 2012 be the best year ever as we return to our first love, to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, soul, mind and strength! Amen? Let's get to work! See you this Sunday! Pastor Daniel

Emmanuel: God Is With Us!

2011-12-01T16:35:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Possess the Land: Room to Dream is now officially a reality! With the wonderful memories of the Celebration Event still fresh in our minds, with the Thanksgiving season reminding us to be thankful for God's abundance and with the Christmas season upon us pointing us to the Reason for the Season Is Jesus! God has surely blessed Karen and me! On the last night before my 90-year old mother left to return to Maui, she prayed to receive the Lord and accept God's offer of salvation and eternal life(heaven). For over 50 years, ever since my sister came to faith in Christ as a freshman in high school, many people has prayed for the salvation of her family, especially Mom and Dad. God has been faithful to answer these prayers! Great is His faithfulness! God has reminded us that acquiring the next door property is not about land but expanding His influence here in Hilo. He wants every person in Hilo to come to a saving knowledge of His Son! Everywhere the church is: in our homes, in our neighborhoods, in our work places and places of recreation and activity, He is inviting us to be the salt and light for those we know to come to know Him. In Jesus' priestly prayer(John 17:3), Jesus prayed: "Now this is eternal life; that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ , whom you have sent." 1815 Kinoole Street is where the church gathers each week and where He scatters us to be His witnesses to those being saved and to those perishing. Now He has entrusted us with expanding our gathering place to include an additional acre in one of the busiest and most trafficked intersections in all of Hilo. Why? Because He wants "every knee bowed and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:10-11) This is our time to trust God to do the impossible! I remember my pastor once saying: "If God can perform the greatest miracle in our lives by making our hearts tender toward Him, every other thing that we may consider impossible IS POSSIBLE WITH GOD! He is looking for a people who will trust and obey! Are we ready? Do we want to see God do the impossible? Let's join God as He does the impossible, shall we? Exploring God's riches of God together, Pastor Daniel

Happy 65th Anniversary Kinoole Baptist Church!

2011-11-21T17:32:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! What an incredible Celebration Event! Lauryn really outdid herself in the decorations, simple but really elegant! And the Possess the Land: Room to Dream banner was striking! Food selection great, portions generous and tasty! And thank you ladies for the wonderful desserts(I especially enjoyed the mochi and the chi chi dango!) The assorted delicacies was worth braving the rainy conditions! Over 75 people in attendance, including children AND 49 families making commitments to give above their regular giving for the next 3 years. What a great display of trusting God! Ken's and Lauren's giving testimonies were impactful! Please pray for God's leadership and protection! Have a great thanksgiving this week with family and friends! We love you all! Pastor Daniel and Karen

Keep It Up! Don't Quit Now!

2011-10-31T17:54:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I trust that this blog finds you well and that you are looking to Jesus for your help! In our bible study this week, we were reminded in Romans 14:12 "So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God." Because God is owner, we are managers or stewards. Everything belongs to God and one day, He will call us to account for our:

Use of Words: Matthew 12:36-37 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Use of Spiritual Gifts 1 Peter 4:10 "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms."

Use of Possessions Luke 16:1-2 "Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer."

In the movie Spiderman, Peter Parker is reminded by his Uncle Ben: "Remember Peter, with great privilege comes great responsibility!" Similarly, we have been privileged to serve the Master of the Universe, our Lord Jesus to represent Him before an unbelieving Hilo. But with this privilege also comes responsibility to be faithful, to walk the talk, to be the bibles that people will read this week and see the love of Jesus. May God help us, His church here at Kinoole, to be faithful to the call! Have a great week!
one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
We are responsible to God to be good managers of our Possessions. (Luke 16:1-2) Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

We Can’t Do This In Our Own Strength! Because when we do, we will fail: Jesus said “Apart from Me You can do nothing.”

Find Us Faithful

2011-10-18T16:40:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday, Gail Inamine shared in her message "Tithing Is Taking a Risk" that in 1977, our church risked hiring her as a second staff person. "At the time" she stated, "in our Hawaii Baptist Convention, there were not many churches that had more than one on staff. Most had just the pastor". But for almost 35 years, she has served our church and our Lord faithfully and we have been especially blessed by her ministry. I believe that God has proven many times over to all who have benefited by her faithful devotion that when we trust God fully, there is really no risk involved, just faith and obedience. In the song "Find Us Faithful" by Jon Mohr, he reminds us of the faith that the Lord demands of every generation. As we approach the 65th anniversary of God planting our church here in Hilo, remembering the host of faithful servants of God that have come before us, it is altogether proper for us to declare our allegiance once again to the One who saved us and placed us here at Kinoole to carry on this legacy:

We're pilgrims on the journey Of the narrow road
And those who've gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace

Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness Passed on through godly lives

After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift through all we've left behind
May the clues that they discover And the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them To the road we each must find

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

God bless you this week as you enjoy the devotional lessons of "A Study in Biblical Stewardship: Generosity"! See you this Sunday! Pastor Daniel

Call to Prayer

2011-10-12T14:49:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Just enjoyed praying this morning in a Prayer Gathering for Possess the Land: Room to Dream capital stewardship campaign. One of our members shared an interesting conversation he had with a man who has created over 100 Japanese gardens here in Hilo. This passion to leave behind "Living Treasures" reminds me of what God desires of us in 1 Peter 2:9-10: "But yo are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." The Apostle Paul gives a similar appeal in his second letter to the Corinthian church(2 Cor.2:14-15) "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who being saved and those who are perishing." In his letter to the Ephesians(Eph 2:10), he writes: "For we are God's workmanship(His masterpieces still in progress) created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." We are leaving behind a legacy of faith for those who come after us. At our Commitment Service on November 20, 2011 we will celebrate our 65th anniversary. It was mentioned today that some of us may not be here to celebrate our 75th, 85th or 100th year anniversary. But God is calling on us to leave a foundation of dependence on God to provide the resources for the purchase of the property NOW and the building of buildings LATER. I am so glad to be a part of a church who believes God! Enjoy the week of prayer! Pastor Daniel

Trust God! Trust His people!

2011-10-05T16:28:00.000-07:00

"But the man who makes Me his refuge will inherit the land and possess My holy mountain. And it will be said: "Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of My people." For this is what the high and lofty One says--He who lives forever, whose name is Holy: I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite . . . I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him, creating praise on the lips of the mourners in (Hilo) Israel. Peace, peace to those far and near," says the Lord. " And I will heal them." Isaiah 57:13-19 For most of us living here in America, we have been taught at birth to depend on self, "if I don't get it done, it won't get done!" kind of attitude. Self-sufficiency often becomes the obstacle to which God can work His miracles and use our lives to bring Him glory and honor. This is a great time for us here at Kinoole where God promises that when we make Him our refuge that we will inherit the land and experience the promise He made in Joshua 1: "I will give you every place where you set your foot. . . No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." May God bless us as we depend on Him in our Possess the Land: Room to Dream Capital Stewardship Campaign. Don't miss out on what could be an incredible journey of faith for us all! I choose to believe God! Won't you? Pastor Daniel

2011-09-19T19:33:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! What a blessing to be the people of God at this time! When Ken and Lauren introduced the Stewardship Campaign Leadership Team and we were asked to pray for the Team, for our church and for our community, I remembered what Queen Esther was told by her uncle Mordecai "Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14) That God would consider us worthy of such a great challenge before us, as Joshua was commanded by God to "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God wil be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9) By now, you have received my letter unveiling our Campaign Theme: "Possess the Land: Room to Dream" taken from Joshua 1:11 ". . . take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own." But success depends on God's faithfulness to provide and your faithfulness to obey God. Remember Jesus' Great Commandment in Matthew 22:37-40 "Love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and to Love your neighbor as yourself." AND His Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20 "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I(Jesus) have commanded you." Were we not blessed to witness Cheryl's baptism in the first service and rejoice with her and her family as she walks in "newness of life". Her joy was unmistakable! If you could see what Cheryl and I saw from the baptistry when the Kinoole family stood to encourage and pray for her, you could understand the great feeling to be FAMILY! This is indeed exciting times in which we live! God bless you as you follow Him! Pastor Daniel

2011-08-24T14:13:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! It has truly been an eventful summer: God raised up a host of young men and women to follow Him and they are in process, eaager to join God on mission. Several completing their college work, two beginning their training at seminary(includes my daughter Hannah) BUT all in process and all passionately in love with Jesus. We are so blessed! I have been doing a study of King David, the man who God took and transformed from being a shepherd boy of his father's flock to one of the greatest kings the world has ever known. God Himself called David "a man after my own heart" and in 1 Chronicles 11:9 God gives us the source of David's power: "And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord Almighty was with him." David wrote Psalm 20 and in verses 6 & 7 again gives us the source of power: "Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He answers him from His holy heaven with the saving power of His right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." But we also see that God uses "A Few Good Men" to support His leadership and beginning this Thursday evening, I am asking a handful of men to join me in a quest to depend more fully on the Lord in Bible study, prayer and biblical fellowship. The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 6:10 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power." May God help us in the spiritual battle against a crafty enemy who seeks to destroy and devour! But we claim the promise of God that "greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world". (1 John 4:4) Amen and Amen! Pray for us!

2010-10-07T17:19:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

Trust that you are enjoying your 40 Days of Love small group! To our friends who log on to see what we are doing, we began our second Purpose Driven Life small group campaign(the first being in 2008) and are in the middle of the campaign(DAY 18 of 40) Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Valley Community Church in Mission Vallejo, California developed this material called the 40 Days of Love.

This fits perfectly with our discipleship process of moving everyone from our Sunday morning worship(8AM & 10:30AM) to the SS or even better a small group. We began on Kickoff Sunday(09/17/10) with 25 small groups. We have learned that to grow stronger, we must grow smaller, deepening our love for one another through small groups, amen?

Jesus taught us His Greatest Commandment(found in Mark 12 & Matthew 22): “You shall love the Lord Your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.” We want to become better lovers of God and of people. Our Vision Statement says it simply: Kinoole Baptist Church exists to Love God, Love People and Serve. Like the song that goes: “They will know we are Christians by our love.” In addition to the Sunday morning sermon, we are enjoying Rick’s teachings each week as he teaches from 1 Corinthians 13, called by many “the Love Chapter”. His brother-in-law Tom Holladay, teaching pastor at Saddleback wrote a book called the “Relationship Principles of Jesus” and we are using this book, which is broken down into 40 chapters as the primary daily devotional reading for our campaign.

We truly have been blessed! For example, in Day 17: The Connection between Mouth and Heart (pages 157-158), he writes “The only path to a change of heart is to take off the fake and paltry crown you’ve fashioned for yourself. Your heart changes whenever and wherever you recognize that God is the only rightful wearer of the crown. He is the only King.” Amen and Amen! I always get into trouble when I focus on myself more than God, when I yank the steering wheel of my life away from Jesus instead of letting Him drive.

Have a safe week everyone and let Jesus drive! Pray that I will do the same! Love God, Love People and Serve! See you this Sunday!

Jesus died, Jesus was buried, Jesus was raised from the dead, Jesus appeared to many!

2010-04-14T13:42:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! What an incredible display of God gathering His people all over Hilo last weekend from Good Friday meditations, Easter Sunrise services, baptisms, multiple Sunday morning services to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord! God brought almost 200(191 to be exact) to our two services that we offered. What a wonderful testimony: "I serve a risen Savior!" was emphatically declared in every church, in every household all across our world. Millions of people celebrating Resurrection Sunday! The shouts of "He is risen! He is risen indeed!" rang out to declare our joy and gratitude to our God who made Jesus His Son to be our substitute. The prophet Isaiah said: "But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. " (Isaiah 53:5-6)
Last Sunday, we began looking at the historical record of Jesus being seen by many in the 40 days before He ascended into heaven to one day return to gather those who remain to be with Him forever. We will continue this Sunday with "A Look Back to the Resurrection", Randy Drake will be preaching on the 25th and I will conclude the "Life After the Resurrection" series on May 4th with "Believing Is Living". We will observe the Lord's Supper on that Sunday. "Soon, and very soon, we are going to see the King! Hallelujah, hallelujah, Hallelujah! Have a great week in the Lord! See you this Sunday!

I'm back!

2009-09-17T15:34:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Well, I am now fully back from my sabbatical leave and I thank God, my family and our church for giving me this time to be away. I felt so welcomed my first Sunday back in the pulpit on September 6th and the observance of the Lord's Supper was wonderfully meaningful for me. Thanks to Earl and Didi Sabate for the beautiful maile lei; I felt so special! I was extremely blessed to know how supportive you were all summer of Pastor Ken Drake's leadership, along with Gail and our four summer interns! Their hardwork and creativity made it possible for me to leave the church in their capable hands. A special Mahalo to Tony and Brenda Pratt and to all of you who worked hard to offer the Welcome Back Picnic for me this past Sunday. Even our first-time guests who stayed for the meal would agree wholeheartedly that Kinoole Baptist Church offers the very best potluck in the world, amen? Amen! I must admit that I was a bit uncomfortable going first in the line and sitting with my wife Karen the entire meal! Somehow it seemed like I should have gotten up and served some water but thank you for allowing me to be the guest of honor! I also appreciated the hearty rendition of "For he's a jolly good fellow!" And to top it off, the cake was exquisite! Great choice!

Besides rest and a renewed spirit, as I met with pastors and other church leaders and visiting in their churches this summer, I am convinced that we must "live and leave a legacy of faith" for the generations coming after us. Psalm 71 & 78 remind us of the vital responsibility to pass the baton of faith to those who come after us. They clearly spell out the mandate from God that this is our time to serve the world and not ourselves. The very next day, we were able to share the love of Christ to the veterans at the Care Home and visit with Calvin Kaya, Jimmy Fujimoto and Mrs Henry Ayabe. What a blessing! We all missed Pastor Alberto Camacho but our prayers are with him and his parents in the Philippines as he spends the next several weeks attending to their special medical needs.

Can you believe that this November will mark sixty-three years that God has planted our church here in Hilo to be a lighthouse of His presence and power? This Sunday, Gail is leading another group through Class 101, an Introduction to Church Membership because everyone here at Kinoole Baptist Church learns to Love God, Love People and Serve. This is more than just a motto; it is our God-given mission! He is waiting on us. Can He count on us to follow Him faithfully as ducklings who follow the mother duck? See you Sunday! Daniel

2009-08-20T14:27:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! You must have thought that I fell off the planet for the past four weeks! No, I returned home to Hilo and tried keeping a low profile to allow Pastor Ken, Gail and the summer interns to lead in my absence. Thank you again for your faithful participation this summer: your attendance, your giving of tithes and offerings and your willingness to follow. Today in my study time, I began meditating on Ephesians 1, especially the words that the Apostle Paul gave in his opening address to the saints at Ephesus. He described them as the "faithful in Christ Jesus" and prayed the blessing of God's grace and peace. I was so blessed by Paul's prayer and I pray this same prayer for you: "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better." (Ephesians 1:17) I am thankful for your many prayers for me and my family. I enjoyed celebrating my wife's birthday this week and tomorrow will be my son's 18th birthday. Will you remember him in your prayers as he checks in his dorm room at Biola University, and completes the orientation process and officially becomes a student there? He called to tell me that he is enjoying spending some time this evening with Alden and Jamie Arakaki, Jason Peterson and Dave Hashimoto to help him celebrate his birthday. The Lord continues to share significant insights as to how I am to pastor once I return in just twelve days on September 1st. I got to visit with Gail and Ken recently assessing the summer and anticipating my return. Again, thank you for remaining faithful serving our Lord, serving each other and serving the world in which you live. God bless you! Talk to you soon! Pastor Daniel

Final Leg of My Sabbatical Leave

2009-07-22T04:15:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I am packing my belongings getting ready to make the hour-and-a-half drive to LAX airport. It is 4:30AM California time and I have about an hour before I leave for the airport. It has been an incredible experience to dialogue and "do life together" with Tim and Carolyn for the past two weeks; God has given them a vital relationship as they work with the pastors and churches of the Gold Coast Association to become a biblical community affecting and impacting the Ventura/Camarillo/Simi Valley area of Los Angeles for the Lord and I have seen firsthand the struggle and dilligence of this couple whom I call dear friends. Friendship takes work but it is so very sweet when God joins hearts together in unity and love! This has been an eye-opener to walk with them to see that the ministry of any church goes far beyond the physical borders of their community; it really has the great potential to impact the world if we are willing to trust God and do His will. However the words of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:10-20 ring true here in California as it does in Hilo, Hawaii: "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after your have done everything, to stand. . . . And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." We are in a spiritual battle for the souls of many and with God's help, we will overcome! Thank you again for all your prayers and your support for me, my family, Gail, Ken and for each other at Kinoole! We are indeed so blessed to have the Lord and each other! I am halfway through my spiritual pilgrimage and I miss you all! Keep on Loving God, Loving People and Serve! I love you more than words can express! See you in September! Daniel

Counting down the days here in Southern California!

2009-07-18T17:21:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I have enjoyed my visit with Tim & Carolyn Logerquist immensely! It is like our special summer of 1983 in Yuma Arizona has continued magically, although we are all 26 years older. They are such a special encouragement to me in a timely way as I am halfway through my sabbatical leave; the wisdom of their years here in Southern California come as a breath of fresh air! As I see the impact of their ministry here, I believe God is showing me what He desires of me as pastor not just of the Kinoole Baptist Church but also as pastor of our city for the next ten years. When we talk about vision, God wants us as His people to flesh out His eternal love, redemption and forgiveness; sometimes we think so narrowly of our Christian influence and the impact for kingdom living we have. What did the Apostle Paul say in Galatians 2:20? "I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." thank you so much for praying for me and Karen and Hannah and Jacob; it means a lot to be loved and remembered before the Father! God bless you! Looking forward to my being back Sept. 1st. Daniel

Simi Valley California

2009-07-15T10:47:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone! Reporting from Centerpoint Church in Simi Valley, California, also from the office of the Gold Coast Baptist Association where Tim & Carolyn Logerquist minister. These are wonderful friends from the past, when Karen & I were church planters in Yuma, Arizona in the summer of 1983. We were the only married couple on the team of 8, four went to Phoenix that summer and four went to Yuma, Arizona. Tim was the Director of Missions and our supervisor there. It has been great to renew friendships and I have enjoyed my visit here totally. This past Monday, we got to visit with Matt, Dean of Students at Eternity Bible College where Alden Arakaki and Jason Peterson(Ronald & Lei's grandson) will be second-year ministerial students. He was very gracious to show us the property and we talked for about 30 minutes as to the founder Francis Chan's vision of establishing a solid bible foundation for the students there, preparing them to minister wherever God will lead, whether in vocational ministry or otherwise. It was not fancy but very practical, pouring the money into quality teaching rather than building. I must admit I was very impressed with what I saw--I know that both Alden and Jason are blessed to be here! Simi Valley is quite beautiful, the mountains and valleys are so incredibly a declaration of God's creative hand. If time permits, I will get to see the Ronald Reagan's library here in Simi Valley later this afternoon. The weather has been hot but it has been nice to enjoy air conditioning and staying indoors; however, the weatherman promises cooler temperatures for the next several days. I have enjoyed dialogue with Tim as to how churches in his association address church health, growth and mission and it has been wonderful to listen and share our journey at Kinoole the past seven and fourteen years since Karen and I first came to Kinoole. I have received much affirmation that we are on the right path and need to continue seeking God to fulfill His good work in us. Yesterday I got to talk on the cellphone with our new interim Associational Director of Missions Bill Abbott who came on the field July 1st; I welcomed him to the Big Island where he is busy trying to reconnect with the pastors and churches of the Big Island Baptist Association; I will look forward to spending some time in dialogue with him after I return Sept 1st. I have heard that the three services are going well, and our interns are working hard preaching, teaching, leading, and serving. Thank you for the support you give to Pastor Ken and Gail in my absence; I am blessed to know that you are continuing in faith and service this summer! May God bless each of you richly! I miss you all and are praying that what God is showing me this summer will benefit our church for years to come. Thank you for keeping me and my family in your prayers! I love you! Daniel

Last Leg of the Southern California portion of my sabbatical leave

2009-07-10T16:23:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone! I am in the City of Camarillo public library typing this afternoon's blog; I arrived in Ventura County early yesterday afternoon in ample time for my 2PM scheduled appointment with Pastor Tracy Cook of Grace Baptist Church. I did not realize until today that he is "Dr. Tracy Cook" having earned a Doctor of Ministry degree; in talking with him yesterday, he introduced me to several of his church members as spending this summer "working on my DMin degree" and I quickly corrected him because I have determined that the rigorous discipline of earning a DMin degree is beyond what I believe God desires of me. However, I called him earlier today to ask if I had inadvertingly offended him; I am not in any way diminishing the hard work of many others who have earned their DMin degree, mindful of Pastor Alan Tamashiro of Puna Baptist Church who is presently working on that degree. After the interview, he invited me to join his family and invited guests for dinner and what a treat after earting a week of frozen dinners, pizzas, ramen, ham sandwiches, etc: the dinner consisted of smoked chicken, tri-tip steak, ranch-style beans, garlic toast AND blackberry pie ala mode---Wonderful! Then I drove to the Logerquists, visited with them for the rest of the evening and slept well in their daughter's former bedroom(she got married last summer and now make her home w/her husband in Florida). Today I have enjoyed spending the day with Tim at his office in Simi Valley and will enjoy a quiet dinner with him and his wife Carolyn later this evening. I am a bit tired from my drive from Canyon Lake yesterday and have enjoyed just relaxing; I will resume my studies tomorrow through the weekend and enjoy attending church w/the Logerquists on Sunday. Praying for you all! Thanks again for your many prayers! Daniel

2009-07-08T12:27:00.001-07:00

Hi, everyone! Well, this is my last day in Canyon Lake; I have certainly enjoyed my stay, had lunch with Ken and his mother Jane yesterday. I have been so blessed with their great hospitality, staying at their home here, just 20-30 minutes south of Riverside. I'll be making the long drive to Ventura County for my last leg of my Southern California portion of the sabbatical. I've been advised to leave early to make the 140 miles to Ventura, so I plan to leave by 9AM to make my 2PM appointment with Pastor Tracy Cook of Grace Church and then make connections with Tim Logerquist later that afternoon. Karen has gone back to work this week and I appreciate your prayers for her, Hannah & Jacob as they make the adjustments being back in Hilo. Jacob is at camp this week and next week and Hannah is continuing her intership with Ken and Gail; I am encouraged by the numbers of our third service, trusting that God will guide us beyond the summer trial period. It appears that God has placed our "Love God, Love People and Serve" process heavy on my heart and one of the keys that he is showing me that the intimacy or depth of our relationship with God and with one another is essential for our mission to make disciples. I have felt and been encouraged by your prayers! thank you again for this time away! I love and miss you all! Daniel

2009-07-06T12:40:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone! Since my family returned to Hilo on July 2, I've been enjoying the quiet(almost too quiet!) here in Canyon Lake. I am grateful to Ken Harada and his parents for allowing us to enjoy their wonderful vacation cottage here(it is just about 30 minutes past riverside) and although there were 600-700 people on July 4th for the fireworks display on the lake, here it is Monday morning(almost 12NOON already) and it seems like life is back to normal here. I've been catching up on emails, facebook entries(it appears that one of my best buddies Calvin Miyahira is now a grandpa, his son and daughter-in-law giving birth to their first child recently. Imagine, a Fourth of July baby! What a blessing! Karen has gone back to work today, Hannah is interning at the church and Jacob is enjoying summer camp for his alma mater at Christian Liberty for the next two weeks. I'll be leaving for Ventura county to meet with Tim Logerquist and the several appointments that he has helped to set up. It has been restful, I've been trying to eat healthy for the past week, swimming in the pool every morning and reading, praying & reflecting on what God wants to do through my life, especially when I return to Kinoole on Sept. 1st. I've been told the Sunday services are going well with Pastor Ken and Gail's leadership, along with the summer interns. Again, thanks for your prayers! Talk to you soon! Daniel

2009-07-02T11:13:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Well, I just got my family off to the airport, got word from Karen that they are on the plane leaving and so 5 1/2 hours today, they will be back in Honolulu, then to Hilo and back to the Tomita homestead. Alden and Jamie have commented that our cat Daisy has not warmed up to them while we have been away(realistically, we have had Daisy for almost eight years and she still has not warmed up to us either so we tell everyone who housesits for us that they should not expect much when it comes to being friends with Daisy--of course, everyone except Layne because for some strange reason, Daisy loves Layne and sits on his lap, comes to him day and night, etc.) Although we haven't talked much with Alden and Jamie, Karen has talked to them several times and each time, they have not mentioned Mie, our rabbit. Maybe we will find that he passed on to that Rabbit haven in the sky or because he is so gutsy, he will outlive us all! Last night, we drove in to Los Angeles and stayed at the Marriott Courtyard for the night(actually only seven hours until my family had to catch their flight). We were reminded that if we drove the 2 hours to Los Angeles from Canyon Lake, we may take anywhere from 3 1/2 to 4 hours, barring any traffic accidents. so we took their advice and decided to drive in and stay overnight one block from the airport and got an incredible rate from Priceline.com. This hotel is quite nice and offered the Tomitas everything that we needed for the night. Praise the Lord for His provision! Since the hotel offers complimentary internet service, I decided to return and spend the two hours to catch up on blogging, email, mapquest for my visit next week to Tim Logerquist, Steve Pope, Tracy Cook and others that I will interview with: my quest is to discover what theses pastors know to develop their congregations into spiritually and relationally healthy churches, the same purpose to which Gail and I have committed ourselves here at Kinoole. It has been wonderfully challenging the past several weeks but now the hard work begins, to utilize the time alone(beginning today) to hear from God. The scripture that comes to mind today is from Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD. . ." It is my heart's desire to find out for myself God's plans for Kinoole because this is still His church and we are and will always be His people. Amen? Amen and Amen! thanks again for all your prayers, especially my driving here in California, people are crazy or perhaps I am slow, used to Hilo driving. Take care, everyone! I love you all! Daniel

2009-06-28T07:33:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Karen and I spent two incredible days in Yosemite National Park which is located east of Sunnyvale where we stayed with my sister Louise and husband Wayne. The awesomeness of God's creation, the beauty and vastness of His creativity overwhelmed us totally! It was exhausting, especially for this out-of-shape pastor but it brought back rich memories of when Karen and I got to visit Yellowstone National Park while still in seminary(way back in the summer of 1983--wow its been ages, almost a lifetime ago!) We got to see the huge redwoods which date back to 3000 years ago or that is what scientists estimate and got to enjoy the evening with Greg Sumii. Discussed with him church health, the discipleship process that the Vision Community is helping Gail and I to refine and implement and appreciated his insights. It seems that his church at Northwest church is also going through transition and although we are similar, we are worlds apart in terms of size(they average 1800 attendees on any given Sunday morning with 3 service times: 8:00AM, 9:30AM, 11AM. Karen and I are making plans to attend their 9:30AM service. They are also having a 11AM Vacation Bible School "Fundago" coincidentally with their 11AM service with the fun activities of the VBS week just concluded and they will have a 12NOON Fun Day, complete with bouncing castle, hot dogs, balloons, etc. We will try to take some pictures and post them for you to see. Although we have done much, we are also enjoying the time away from Hannah and Jacob; we will see them tomorrow in Los Angeles. Thanks again for your prayers and support! We love you all in the Lord! Daniel

Pictures of our trip to Seattle and Victoria.

2009-06-25T14:47:00.000-07:00

2009-06-25T07:20:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Well, it's been a whirlwind of a trip visiting with Joe & Ila; they have been incredible hosts and we surely enjoyed our time in Yakima. Victoria was nice but incredibly expensive; I did not fully appreciate the USA until I was in a foreign country and although everyone spoke English there, you still could sense the "foreigness" of the area. We enjoyed driving down to Multnomah Falls in Oregon on Monday, watched kite-boarding in Hood River and saw the beauty of the foothills of Washington State. Flew out of Seattle yesterday, left Jacob with his friends for the rest of the week, Hannah is now with the Kibach students at DC/LA and we have enjoyed being with my sister Louise and husband Wayne. Tomorrow we drive to visit Yosemite National Park and then will spend the weekend with Greg and Yolanda Sumii. In the midst of the busyness, I ahve enjoyed spending time w/our Lord, praying and enjoying the incredible peace He gives. Praying for you all, especially for Ken & Denise, Jacque, Layne, Aldie, Karl; thanks for your prayers, we have felt the power of God's answer to your prayers! God bless you! Daniel

2009-06-16T06:56:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Got in to Seattle late Sunday nite, enjoyed staying at the Doubletree hotel just down the street from the airport--Joe and Ila Hoptowit picked us up yesterday and we've enjoyed being together, ate a great seafood dinner at a popular Seattle fish place called Ivars. I enjoyed eating fish & chips and a bowl of their world-famous clam chowder; it was great! I told Joe that he was a man after my own heart, to begin our time together eating! We drive to Port Angeles today to catch the ferry into Canada early tomorrow; pray for us that our time together will be blessed! We love you all and pray for you as well! Have a great day! Daniel

2009-06-12T16:26:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Praying that your day goes well! As I reflect on the demands of my day, to prepare for our trip and to get the house ready for Alden and Jamie, God reminded me of Jesus’ busy schedule early on in his public ministry. As recorded in Mark 1 & 2, the gospel begins with the record of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, followed by John the Baptist’s imprisonment and Jesus’ calling his disciples. It also records his early ministry around the sea of Galilee, in Capernaum where Jesus taught in the synagogue and his popularity grew to enormous proportions. Remember what took place in the home of Simon Peter and his brother Andrew? James and John, the sons of Zebedee were there as well, as was also Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, sick in bed with a fever. This reference by John Mark, who collaborated with Simon Peter, validates the fact that Simon Peter was married, and that Simon Peter’s brother Andrew, Simon’s wife and mother-in-law lived with them. Knowing that Simon Peter was willing to leave his family to follow Jesus would seem rather foolish or irresponsible, but I think that it also speaks volumes to the devotion that he had towards Jesus. You know the rest of the story: Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law, she feeds them and then the whole village comes with the sick and Jesus probably spends the rest of the evening and later hours in the night healing those who were sick. Obviously, a great miracle of healing took place and Jesus could have slept in. Who would have faulted Him? But our Lord does what he habitually does every morning(as recorded in Mark 1:35) “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” He probably only got a few hours sleep but the Father compelled His Son to spend time together, perhaps to go over the events of the previous day and to remind His Son: “Son, all your life, if you let people impose their agenda on you, you will do many good things, wonderful things, you will develop a good reputation and people will like you, invite you to parties, have a good time, make lots of friends and be popular. HOWEVER, remember why you were sent, why you left heaven’s glory to live among men. Sure enough, when Simon Peter discovered Jesus gone from his house, he went looking and found Jesus alone praying. "Everyone is looking for you!" We have your daily schedule mapped out for the next several months and we think that we should also go to the big city of Jerusalem next year and really wow the crowds! What do you think, Jesus? Are you up for this? And because Jesus spent time in prayer, reflection and recommitment to the will of the Father, in verse 38, Mark records Jesus’ reply: "Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." May we also listen to the Father and hear His heart.
Our church has a great opportunity this summer with Pastor Ken and Gail and our four summer interns and we can be busy doing lots of activities. However, we should regularly go to the Father for His instructions and be about the “Father’s business”. One of the most neglected and most difficult ministry we have at Kinoole is the ministry of prayer. Why? Because the results is totally left up to God’s timetable and not man’s. It requires faith, not in the visible, but in the invisible work of the Holy Spirit. It also requires humility and diligence because as James, the stepbrother of Jesus reminds us in James 4:2-3: “You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." But Jesus also declares His church shall be a house of prayer. I have commissioned Wally Dyer and Didi Sabate to continue praying on Thursday afternoons from 1PM-2PM, not a time of convenience or something with great fanfare BUT essential to the spiritual health and vitality of Kinoole Baptist Church. I am committed to pray for one hour each week for our church; please, will you do the same? Have a good day, everyone!

2009-06-11T23:19:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone! Not quite sure who's getting this but our time is counting down(T-4, leave on Sunday) Wanted to share a beautiful reminder that went hand in hand with Ken's message on Sunday where the source of love is God and we are so deeply loved! Laura shared this story and at the end of the story she wrote: "Share this with a friend---I did!" And so I wanted to do the same: here goes:

Did you know this about THE BUZZARD: If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top. Or consider another of God's creatures THE BAT: The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash. How about the majestic BUMBLEBEE: A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out.. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.
But consider that God's greatest creation is PEOPLE: In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up! That's the answer, the escape route and the solution to any problem! Just look up. Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, but Faith looks up! Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly and trust in our Creator who loves us.
SEND THIS TO A FRIEND .... I did. IN GOD WE TRUST(who coined this phrase Abraham Lincoln?) How about the prophet Isaiah 40:28-31 "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Have a great week everyone and pray for your pastor! He really needs your prayers!

2009-06-11T01:57:00.000-07:00

Countdown is 4 days to travel to Seattle/Vancouver Island/Yakima; trying to get it all done before we leave. My son Jacob leaves tomorrow and we will meet up with him Monday morning when the Hoptowits pick us up. First up on the agenda is to tour the sights of Seattle. Looking forward to it; will have pictures for you

Today's thought: From Psalm 10: God always hears "the desire of the afflicted" and encourages us to keep the faith as He protects and upholds us by His mighty right hand. Thank you, Lord! Great is thy faithfulness!

WEEK 1 OF PASTOR'S SABBATICAL LEAVE

2009-06-08T17:49:00.000-07:00

Today marks the first week of my sabbatical leave. It has been a whirlwind of activity, primarily because of my family's focus of my son Jacob's graduation from Christian Liberty Academy. He graduated last Saturday, May 30th, 2009 and it was a special day, to say the least! Both his grandmothers were present, my mom and Karen's mom and stepdad were here to celebrate the joyous occassion. I must admit that the venue at New Hope Christian Fellowship was most enjoyable due to their air conditioned auditorium--it was quite comfortable! We had barely enough time after the sweet fellowship to prepare for Jacob's grad party at our church later that evening. I was quite impressed by the incredible work of the Junior class and their families to decorate the New Hope fellowship hall and serve the 17 Senior graduates and their families to a wonderful pupu lunch. It was more than just appetizers but almost a full meal served by willing servants. The food and the service was unbelievable! Thank you CLA Juniors! May your graduation be just as memorable next year as you made it for us this year! A special thanks also to the dedicated faculty of Christian Liberty; what more can be said as to the high commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ and to every student. It was so evident that the love of Christ permeated every aspect of the graduation ceremony.

I must say that the joy began at 2:30AM that morning when my mom and I got up to make makesushi for Jacob's grad party. In all, I believe we rolled 25 rolls of sushi and the highlight of that memory was my "messup" on the very first roll where I forgot to put a sheet of nori on the su or bamboo wrapping device. My mom is quite proficient in making sushi where she has provided our family numerous times and special occassions with her tasty sushi. Later that morning, around 4:30AM, Karen's mom woke up to help roll several of the sushi so she could see how it was done. Several of the rolls were not wrapped properly where the rice spilled over but no worry, we just ate those and kept the good ones for the party, which everyone seemed to enjoy. I'll share more about that later on.

Our church also sponsored a graduates luncheon where 7 graduates were honored, given their cross pens and listened to their plans for the summer and fall. We were quite proud of each of them: 5 high school and 2 college graduates were honored: Hilo High: Joseph Davis and Jon Miyazono(who did not attend the luncheon); Waiakea High: Colby Miyose; Christian Liberty Academy: Jacob Tomita & Justin Pang; University of Hawaii at Hilo: Karl Sunagawa; and California Baptist University: Jamie Drake. Well, I need to get ready to attend the 10:30AM worship service at Kinoole Baptist Church.I had two major goals this past week: 1) to start walking every morning(happened only 3 of the 7 days) and to have my quiet time with the Lord(happened 4 days, hope to do better this week). Pray for me, everyone! More later on today about Alden and Jamie's wedding, how the Tomitas helped this fine couple start their married life with the Lord and with family and friends surrounding and supporting them.

2008-11-20T17:45:00.000-08:00

As I reflect on this past Sunday's 40 Days of Community Celebration Sunday, I marvel at God's goodness and how God's people responded for this campaign. We asked our congregation to trust the Campaign Team who worked dilligently, planning, preparing and coordinating all of the various events. Most of all, I believe God blessed our prayers. We so wanted to experience His presence and power and He did not disappoint! I was so blessed when I heard the testimonies of the small groups, when I saw the transformation of the Veteran's Care Home, enjoyed seeing the many ministry booths of the Ministry Fair(did I count 18 or was it 19?) Arabel, your hospitality team in serving each week Cafe Kinoole was amazing! By the way, that soup you served was so delicious! Thank you for your hospitality! Denise, we are grateful for your incredible organization and planning of the service, potluck supper and the whole day (and I would agree with your statement that we offer the very best potluck meal on the Big Island!) And some of our regulars were either out of town or unable to attend and so we missed their participation and delightful offerings! A special thanks to our students who stayed to set up for the afternoon supper! We appreciate your participation, your enthusiasm, your support and your service! We learned many things over the past 40 days but especially that when we trust God and trust His people, amazing things happen! God bless Kinoole Baptist Church! Keep on praying, keep on participating, keep on serving and keep your eyes on Jesus!

2008-10-09T18:14:00.000-07:00

Well, we got our home ready for the 40 Days of Community and began meeting this past Sunday afternoon; I even got to take a very short nap and decided to make Karen's world famous "Easy Banana Coffee Cake". But of course I should have not worried about serving some refreshments because one of our small group made a delicious pumpkin pie dessert, spam musubis and watabi salad---so of course, what did we do? We ate FIRST and visited a long while enjoying the treats before we had our DVD teaching with Pastor Rick Warren. Several of our group was off island but will be with us this Sunday. We were also encouraged to invite others to join us and so we are praying for God to show us who to invite. Will be expecting a greater blessing this week when we come together again! I have heard encouraging reports all week long about the other groups meeting. Praise be to God! Daniel

40 Days of Community

2008-08-26T14:59:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 29:11-13 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." In Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God study, he reminds us that God knows the plans He has for each of us. So, if we want to know His plans, we are to pray and ask Him. After we pray, we should watch to see what God does next. Always connect what happens next to what God's plans are. I am sensing that God is wanting to do something great and He desires to use KInoole Baptist Church. I am praying that I will be faithful in leading His church to acomplish great things for His glory!