Pastor Darryl Mark Matthews

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Why Vacation In Hawaii??

Kuakini Med Ctr Pkng Lot

Some might be wondering, "Why vacation in Hawaii?"  Some of you may or may not know that one of the best experiences in my life was when I was on temporary assignment for EDS working at Fort Shafter and living in Waikiki for a year in 1999-2000 and then actually moved there from 2001 to 2004.  Hawaii is one of those magical places that is so beautiful that it takes your breath away.  The beauty comes in so many shapes and sizes that everyday when I resided there I saw the creative hand of God in nature.  

Jowancia and I had the privilege of attending a Christian leadership conference in Honolulu in 2012 and she feel in love with the islands as well.  We both are amazed that it has taken five years to make the journey back to "the gathering place" (the meaning of the word O'ahu).  We thought, "Rather than go by ourselves, why not invite the family to come along?"  And the invitation was extended on both sides of our family.  We choose the holiday season because it is such a festive place during Christmas and New Year's.  

I decided to start writing this blog to share information about the islands and the things one can do while there and to share some of the experiences I have had in the islands so that maybe you can experience them as well.  During my residency from 2001-2004, I was the pastor of the First Chinese Church of Christ in downtown Honolulu.  Check out this promotional video that I wrote and directed for local community television:  

 

It is my hope that this will be a vacation of a lifetime.  I will post additional entries in this place in the weeks to come.  Questions?? Drop them in the comments or shoot me an email.  

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Sabbath Observance – Weekly Sunday School Recap – 2017-Sep-17

Printed Sunday School Text – Exodus 31:12-18

Exodus 31:12-18New International Version (NIV)

The Sabbath

12 Then the Lord said to Moses, 13 “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.

14 “‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people. 15 For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death. 16 The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. 17 It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”

18 When the Lord finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.

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God Has Not Given Up On America

Please forgive me but did God step down off of the throne this morning?? Did the power that is in God’s word expire this morning around 3am?? Has the Holy Spirit departed out of all of God’s children today??
I’m just wondering because the last time I checked, God woke me up this morning!! The last time I checked, I was clothed and in my right mind. The last time I checked, I still had a job to go to this morning. The last time I checked, the doors of First Baptist Church of College Hill were opened last night.
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:1-2
“I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.” Psalms 37;25
Maybe what happened yesterday was a call for us to put our eyes back on who really has us!! Jesus!! I can’t speak for everyone but I’m like Joshua, “As for me an my house, we will serve the Lord.” And the last time I checked, God is able to do EXCEEDINGLY above that which I could ask or think (Eph 3:20).
Dropping the mic.