40 Day 2012- Love Singapore

Since our return home to Singapore to retire in 1997, we have been using the annual publication by Love Singapore -  a 40 day devotional booklet commencing 1st July till National Day on 9th August. It is one of the best devotionals I've come across and each year I look forward to receiving it. My wife and I have always been blessed by the messages. They are written very simply and in the Singapore context.

This year the theme is "Coat of many colours" a series of meditations on Joseph. Strange coincidence, or to be correct Divine leading, I did a series of Bible studies recently at our Territorial Headquarters chapel on the Life of Joseph under the caption "Dare to be different."

The thought came from a poem written by Commissioner Harry Read and the words were set to music by Dick Krommenhoek (now Commisioner and Territorial Commander for Finland.)

I dare to live a life of faith,
The life of challenge God has planned;
Of holiness and victory,
For truth and righteousness to stand.

Chorus:
Dare to be different, dare to believe.
Dare to be different, God's Spirit receive.
Dare to be different, my life sacrificed.
Dare to be different by living like Christ.

I dare to ask the Spirit come
To match with all my hearts' desire,
My life to cleanse and energize
With Pentecostal fire.

I dare to want to be like Christ
According to His will and way.
His love to know, compassion show,
And serve Him only everyday.

I mentioned that we live in a culture of copying or imitating. We yield to peer pressure so easily. We like to conform because we like to be well thought of. Everyone is doing it and we say to ourselves 'it's the done thing.'  It is good and right to be relevant. Nothing wrong in keeping to our traditions.

However there are times when we need to stand up and be counted. There are values we must uphold, Biblical standards we need to keep and here we need the courage to dare to be different. Joseph provides us with a good role model.

1  His dress was different.
2  His dreams were different.
3. His dedication was different.
4. His devotion was different.
5. His disposition was different
6. His destiny was different.