Blogging as Spiritual Journaling

I guess due to time constraints my blog has evolved into a kind of spiritual journaling.  I don't have much time to write on biblical or theological matters except that I hope my blog posts will always be biblical and theologically grounded and I hope it is helpful to those in leadership and ministry. With two weeks' time in organizing the All Night Prayer Meeting and almost 400 people turning up at 10pm, I reckon it was a qualified success. This morning I read of King Hezekiah's reforms in 2 Chr 29-31. He sent letters of invitation to the north, Ephraim and Manasseh to come to Jerusalem for Passover and his messengers were mocked and ridiculed. Although I did not face a similar fate, I realized getting the 26 churches to work together is a herculean task.
When for one and a half decade most churches happily go on their own way, getting them to come together was not easy, let alone to an all night prayer meeting organized first time in 15 years in Ranau township. Some churches pulled out last minute for various reasons, a couple of churches took up the idea of an ANP meet but did it on their own and refused to join forces. I am no king Hezekiah. I don't hold any official post in the District except my position as a local church pastor. Even the position of chairman of the pastors fellowship had no official weight except pastors get together for fellowship and discuss common ministry concerns. So my letter of invitation had to be countersigned by the District Superintendent. I spoke to the DS and sought his blessings but until the last minute I did not know for sure whether he would be present. It was great of him to stay throughout the ANP until morning. The Deputy DS told me weeks ago that he was attending the Kudat ANP but last minute he changed his mind and came and stayed until midnight. Overall, if only for the cooperation of the two two Ranau town churches,  mine and our mother church, it was a roaring success. At least the elders of the first and still the biggest SIB church saw how we humbled ourselves, worked and prayed together for the denomination and the country. We prayed for our Bible College, the nations, Israel, all local churches and the SIB AGM at the end of November where leaders are up for election or reelection. The highlight was surely the involvement of young people, probably 60% were below 25 years old and that is a good sign for the church as a whole. My message on ANP "Everything is Ready" (semuanya sudah siap), it rhymes in Malay. At the end of the passage in Matthew 22 many are called but few are chosen. I took the text and hammered home that many are Sunday Christians but few are chosen as prayer warriors and intercessors let alone those who could persevere in prayers. I told them that God had prepared everything for us. Christ has died, the Spirit is given, gifts are poured out onto the church, we lack nothing yet so few want to give themselves unreservedly for the work of the Lord. Some came without the wedding garment. But we came with the Spirit of grace and supplication and by God's grace, we prayed throughout the night. On record, it was my 8th sermon in 10 days in 6 different places. 3 in my church, 5 in 5 villages and towns.