by Joseph | Mar 1, 2026 | Sharing
“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” – James 4:14 (NAS)
Have you ever watched someone blow out birthday candles and suddenly felt your heart sink? Another year gone. Another set of 365 days vanished like smoke. Time slips through our fingers like water, impossible to grasp or hold onto. Yet we often live as if we have an endless supply.
Today, as I was getting ready for work it really impacted me that there are so many minutes, hours, and years behind me. I’ve always thought carefully about the time we have – and always tried to cherish each moment with the people I love. Making the effort to really honor each moment still didn’t keep the time from rushing past me. The thoughts and memories of my children seem like yesterday. How can years have slipped by so quickly?
I am thankful for an eternity of time – that flows beyond this earthly life.
The Wake-Up Call We All Need
Picture this: You’re scrolling through your phone, maybe killing time while waiting in line for coffee. Suddenly, you see a post from an old friend – someone your age, someone who, like you, thought they had plenty of time. Except they didn’t. Their story ended mid-sentence, leaving behind half-written texts, uncompleted bucket lists, and words left unsaid to those they loved.
“So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” – Psalm 90:12 (NAS)
This isn’t meant to scare you – it’s meant to wake you up. Each of us has exactly 1,440 minutes every day. No more, no less. The richest billionaire can’t buy an extra minute. The most brilliant scientist can’t invent more time. Time is the great equalizer, but it’s also our most overlooked blessing.
Joseph’s Journey: When Minutes Feel Like an Eternity
Consider Joseph, thrown into a pit by his own brothers. Can you imagine those minutes? The betrayal burning in his chest, the darkness pressing in, each second stretching like an eternity as he waited to learn his fate. Those minutes must have felt like years:
“They took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it.” – Genesis 37:24 (NAS)
But here’s the thing about Joseph’s story that we often miss: he didn’t know he was in the middle of a story that would save nations. He didn’t know that each painful minute was building toward something greater. All he knew was that time was passing, and he had choices to make about how to use it.
The Minutes That Changed Everything
Think about these pivotal moments in Joseph’s life:
- The minutes he spent choosing forgiveness over bitterness in prison
- The seconds it took to interpret Pharaoh’s dream that would save Egypt
- The moment he chose to reveal himself to his brothers, trading vengeance for reconciliation
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” – Genesis 50:20 (NAS)
The Reality Check We All Need
Let’s get painfully honest for a moment. Think about yesterday – can you account for all 1,440 minutes? How many were spent:
- Scrolling mindlessly through social media?
- Putting off that important conversation because it felt awkward?
- Saying “we’ll catch up soon” to people you truly miss?
- Waiting for the “perfect time” to pursue that God-given dream?
“Making the most of your time, because the days are evil.” – Ephesians 5:16 (NAS)
The Brutal Math of Time
Here’s some math that might keep you up tonight: If you’re lucky enough to live to 80, you have about 29,200 days total. Now subtract your current age. How many days are left? Now consider:
- How many more times will you get to hug your parents?
- How many more summers do you have with your kids before they’re grown?
- How many more chances will you have to tell someone about Jesus?
“For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” – James 4:14 (NAS)
The Urgency of Now
Joseph’s story teaches us that preparation can’t wait. When God revealed seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine, Joseph didn’t procrastinate. He acted immediately:
“Let Pharaoh take action to appoint overseers in charge of the land, and let him exact a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance.” – Genesis 41:34 (NAS)
This wasn’t just about storing grain – it was about recognizing that time is a gift that demands immediate action. Joseph understood what we often forget: tomorrow’s opportunities require today’s preparation.
The People Factor: What Really Matters
Think about Joseph’s reunion with his father Jacob. After years of separation, thinking his son was dead, Jacob finally held Joseph again:
“Then Joseph fell on his father’s neck and wept on his neck a long time.” – Genesis 46:29 (NAS)
How many of us have people in our lives right now that we need to “fall on their neck and weep” with? How many relationships are we taking for granted, assuming there will always be another day, another chance, another tomorrow?
Making Minutes Count: Practical Steps
- Start Today’s Revolution
- Write down the names of three people you need to prioritize
- Schedule specific times to connect with them this week
- Turn off notifications during these dedicated times
- Prepare Like Joseph
- What skills do you need to develop for tomorrow’s challenges?
- What spiritual disciplines need attention now?
- What relationships need investment today?
- Live with Eternal Perspective
- How will your use of time today impact eternity?
- What legacy are you building with your minutes?
- Where are you storing your treasures?
A Prayer for Time’s Stewardship
Father, the thought of time’s swift passage brings both grief and gratitude to our hearts. We grieve the minutes we’ve wasted, the opportunities we’ve missed, the relationships we’ve neglected. But we’re grateful that You’ve awakened us to time’s precious nature. Like Joseph, help us to see that every minute – even the painful ones – can be used for Your glory and others’ good.
Lord, give us wisdom to number our days. Give us courage to have the hard conversations now. Give us strength to prepare for tomorrow’s challenges today. And most of all, give us hearts that beat in rhythm with Your eternal purposes, making every minute count for Your kingdom.
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” – Psalm 90:12 (NAS)
Remember: The next minute you have isn’t guaranteed, but it’s a gift. How will you spend it?
by Joseph | Mar 1, 2026 | Sharing
“It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.” – Genesis 41:16 (NAS)
There is a kind of faith that seeks a platform, and there is a kind of faith that seeks only the presence of God. One gathers attention; the other carries authority. One must be seen to survive; the other is forged in secret places where no human applause can reach. In an age where nearly everything is measured by visibility, influence, and recognition, the life of Joseph stands as a holy contradiction. When he was brought suddenly from the prison to stand before Pharaoh, he stood at the threshold of the very destiny God had spoken over him in his youth. If there were ever a moment to present himself, to highlight his endurance, to recount his unjust suffering, or to position himself as worthy, this was it. Instead, Joseph removed himself entirely from the center of the moment and declared, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer” (Genesis 41:16 NAS).
Faith That Removes Itself from the Center
This is faith in its purest form. Faith that does not promote itself is faith that has already died to the need for human validation. Joseph’s confidence did not come from his gift of interpretation, nor from his ability to administrate, nor even from the accuracy of his past experiences. His confidence came from a history with God that had been written in suffering, obedience, delay, and silence. The years in the pit and the prison had stripped away the last fragments of self-exaltation. What stood before Pharaoh was not a man trying to rise—it was a man who had already surrendered.
When Refinement Erases the Need to Be Seen
Scripture gives us a glimpse into what was happening beneath the surface of Joseph’s long season of obscurity: “Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the Lord refined him” (Psalm 105:19 NAS). The refining was not merely about patience; it was about purification. The dreams Joseph received as a young man revealed what God intended to do through him, but they did not yet reveal who Joseph needed to become. True faith is not proven when the promise is fulfilled; it is proven when the promise seems impossible and the heart remains steadfast. In those hidden years, Joseph learned to serve without recognition, to lead without title, and to remain faithful when forgotten. This kind of faith cannot be manufactured in public, and it cannot be imitated through performance.
The Difference Between Authority and Attention
Much of what is called faith today is, in reality, a form of spiritual self-advertising. It draws attention to sacrifice, highlights acts of obedience, and subtly seeks affirmation from others. But the faith that God uses to preserve nations does not need to announce itself. It does not measure its effectiveness by response, nor does it require a visible return. Joseph did not emerge from the prison saying, “Look at what I have endured,” or “Now God will reward my faithfulness.” He spoke only of God. In doing so, he revealed a profound spiritual principle: faith that is occupied with God has no room left to be occupied with self.
The Presence of God as the Only Credential
When Pharaoh listened to Joseph, he did not merely hear a correct interpretation of a dream; he discerned the unmistakable presence of God upon a man. “Can we find a man like this, in whom is a divine spirit?” (Genesis 41:38 NAS). Joseph’s faith had become substance. It had weight. It carried an authority that did not come from position but from intimacy with God. That authority is what our present generation so desperately needs. We are living in a time marked by crisis, uncertainty, and the shaking of systems that once seemed immovable. In such a time, the temptation is strong to make faith visible in order to make it seem effective. Yet the life of Joseph teaches that the most powerful faith is often the least visible until the moment God reveals it.
Preparation That Looks Unnecessary to Everyone Else
Joseph did not prepare for the famine when the famine began. He prepared during the years of abundance, when preparation appeared unnecessary and even excessive. “So he gathered all the food of these seven years which occurred in the land of Egypt and placed the food in the cities… Thus Joseph stored up grain in great abundance like the sand of the sea, until he stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure” (Genesis 41:48–49 NAS). This was not the faith of reaction; this was the faith of obedience. He moved in response to what God had revealed, not in response to what others understood. This kind of faith is often misunderstood because it does not align with the visible urgency of the moment. It acts before the crisis is obvious. It prepares while others celebrate. It labors quietly without needing to explain itself.
The Restraint of a Life Ruled by God
There is a holy restraint in this kind of faith. It does not strive to prove that it is right. It does not demand recognition for its foresight. It does not measure its value by the approval of others. It rests in the knowledge that obedience to God is its own reward. This is why Joseph could move from the prison to the palace without changing in his spirit. The same man who said, “It is not in me,” in the prison remained the same man in the palace. The elevation did not alter his dependence because his faith had never been rooted in his circumstances.
From the Prison Spirit to the Palace Without Change
The contrast between self-promoting faith and surrendered faith is not merely a matter of personality; it is a matter of lordship. Self-promoting faith still places the individual at the center of the story. Surrendered faith places God at the center and is content to remain hidden if He is glorified. Jesus later articulated this same principle when He said, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 6:1 NAS). Joseph lived this reality generations before it was spoken. His righteousness was not performed; it was lived before God.
Provision, Not Recognition
In our present time, when many feel the weight of preparation, the burden of awareness, and the loneliness of walking a path others do not yet understand, Joseph’s life speaks with prophetic clarity. You do not need to make your faith visible for it to be valid. You do not need to defend your obedience for it to be effective. The years in which it seems that nothing is happening are often the years in which everything is being formed. “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary” (Galatians 6:9 NAS). The harvest of Joseph’s life was not the palace—it was the preservation of life for multitudes. His faith was not about his elevation; it was about God’s provision for others.
When the famine came, Joseph did not scramble for solutions. He stood in a place of readiness that had been built in secret. People came from all lands to Egypt to buy grain because the wisdom of God had been entrusted to a man who had learned to walk in faith without needing to be seen (Genesis 41:57). This is the kind of faith that our generation requires—not faith that seeks a platform, but faith that becomes provision. Not faith that draws attention to its sacrifice, but faith that quietly sustains others when crisis arrives.
The Maturity That Sees God in Everything
In the end, Joseph could look back over the betrayal, the slavery, the false accusation, the forgotten years, and the overwhelming responsibility and say to his brothers, “Now it was not you who sent me here, but God” (Genesis 45:8 NAS). That statement reveals the final maturity of faith. It no longer interprets life through the actions of people or the injustice of circumstances; it sees the sovereign hand of God in all things. Only a faith that has been stripped of self can speak like that.
The Faith God Entrusts With the Future
To step forward in faith when everything seems hopeless is not to make a public display of courage. It is to continue obeying God when no one is watching, to continue preparing when there is no visible need, and to continue trusting when there is no immediate evidence. It is to live in such a way that when the moment of unveiling comes, the world does not see your strength—it sees God’s presence.
Because the faith that does not promote itself is the faith that God promotes in His time. And when He does, it will not be for the sake of the one who believed, but for the preservation of many.
by Joseph | Mar 1, 2026 | Preparation, Sharing
Yesterday, a member of my family called me an “Alarmist”. I really was not aware that I am an alarmist, so it came as a bit of a surprise to me. In fact, I didn’t even know what an alarmist was- or what the role consisted of. So, being the good alarmist that I am… I looked it up.
Here’s what the dictionary definition of an alarmist is:
“a person who tends to raise alarms, esp. without sufficient reason, as by exaggerating dangers or prophesying calamities.”
Perhaps my family member knows something about me that I don’t know. Or, maybe it’s possible that my actions and communications have been misinterpreted by those who disagree with my insights. To my knowledge, I haven’t exaggerated the dangers that we face – nor have I prophesied destruction. In fact, by definition the alarmist will raise concerns without sufficient reason. If you have done any research into what is happening on a global scale – there is certainly sufficient reason to be prudent in preparation.
I am not screaming in the streets that we are all doomed, but I do believe we are facing some serious challenges ahead. My call is not to warn people that the end is near, rather to encourage people to prepare for the difficulties that may lie ahead. The Bible is very clear that the King is soon coming – and we need to prepare for His arrival. There will be some difficult events as we get closer to His arrival. If a call to prepare for that is an alarm, well, so be it.
The reference that I was an alarmist came because I referred to the fact my family had just received a shipment of supplies – much of it for our pantry. Here’s a picture of some of our shipments…
The “alarmist” comment speaks more about where we are as a society, and really, the very lack of family discipline that has led us as a society to some of the difficult issues we are facing. We’ve become a spoiled people, who expect immediate gratification and constant entertainment. We have learned that we can squander our resources, and borrow to replace what we’ve depleted.
It is folly to assume that we can continue to live without ultimately paying the debt for our greed and obsessive lifestyle. Make no mistake about it we will reap what we sow. That’s not an alarm, that’s a fact!
by Joseph | Mar 1, 2026 | Preparation, Sharing
I have been focused on preparation for a long time, so any discussion on the topic comes very natural to me. I am finding, however; even as the topic of preparation is becoming more widespread – there are still quite a few people who do not fully understand what is meant by preparation.
I’ve stated before, like with everything people have varying levels of preparation – and certainly different motivations for preparation. Let me share some general insights on preparation, specifically as it relates to an emergency “change” in lifestyle.
The first question that I’d ask someone to gauge their preparation status is: “If there were to be an emergency of any kind, are you adequately prepared?” It may be a tornado, flood or even a hurricane. It could even be a catastrophic event such as a pandemic illness that sweeps through the world. How prepared are you in case of just such an event?
Unfortunately, the answer for most people is that they are not prepared at all. Emergency preparation takes forethought and careful planning. It is not about paranoia or that the world is coming to an end soon (although, you should be prepared for that as well). If you look, you can definitely find many crackpot (some legitimate) websites that are dedicated to driving paranoia and government conspiracies. Our intent is not to fuel fear – rather, to impress upon the need to prepare in the event of an emergency or disaster. This article is designed to help you understand what you can do to be prepared.
How do people prepare for emergencies?
Emergency preparation all starts with a list. You need to really stop and think about the possible emergencies that could happen in your region of the world. If you live near a river, lake or the ocean then you have to worry about flooding. If you live in a tornado prone area, you need to prepare for that. Winter storms can do a terrible amount of damage. Step one is thinking about what you use on a daily basis. Water is the number one resource that must be conserved and kept in case of an emergency. People can survive weeks without food but only a few days without water. And in the case of an emergency you cannot trust the water coming out of your faucet.
The second step is examining your shelter. Should your home be damaged you need to have an alternate place for shelter set up. It may be at a friend, family member or coworker’s home.
The third most important step is making an emergency plan. This plan should detail where all members of the family will meet in case they are separated at the time of the emergency. There are many books that you can purchase to help you learn basic survival skills in case of a disaster. You should consider picking one up and reviewing it just to see how well you would fare. (more…)
by Joseph | Mar 1, 2026 | Preparation, Sharing
The Shaking
Whose voice then shook the earth
Shared by Jeff Rowland.
The power of the voice of God is unmatched by anything the earth has ever seen or come in contact with. One word from the lips of God can destroy with more devastation than any bomb ever created. One word from the lips of God can breathe life into anything or anyone.
(1Ki 19:12) And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
Even though our God’s voice is so powerful, He can speak with such still softness as to gently urge the hearts of all who will listen. Could it be that the gentleness of our God is often why we so disregard and refuse Him that speaks? Could it be that our God is speaking louder so as to get our attention to the times we are living in now?
I believe that we are now living in the middle of Hebrews 12:25-29. I also believe that God is speaking to the earth and its time that we begin to pay attention. There is always purpose and reason to the voice of God being released.
Verse 26 says, “Whose voice then shook the earth.” We need to consider the events that are taking place now at such a rapid rate of speed. The earthquakes that are ravaging the earth all over must be given heed to. Jesus foretold of things to come as a sign of the end of the age in Matthew 24.
(Mat 24:7) For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
This was the response of Jesus after being asked the question what is the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world? We are now seeing these signs. Even a casual student of the Word of God can see these things are upon us.
(more…)
by Joseph | Mar 1, 2026 | Preparation, Sharing
Part of emergency preparedness involves having money available during the situation, and having a backup of all your financial data for when the crisis has passed. Think about how terrible it would be to survive a particularly bad situation, and then find out that all your financial information was lost. There are different steps that you can take to minimize a financial emergency when things go wrong, and to plan for your future.
Now, while there are certainly potential scenarios and risks of banking collapse and global financial meltdown, this writing will not address that level of preparedness. This post will make an assumption that current banking and legal tender remains somewhat solvent and available. We will share more on the potential of massive financial collapse in future posts.
Money is an important part of good emergency preparedness, since banks may not be open and access to funds electronically may not be available. So this means that cash may be the only form of payment accepted at stores or in other situations. If that should be the case, then you will need to have a supply of emergency cash that you can access if there is a large-scale problem. This money should include coins for pay phones and it should be hidden in a safe place in your home.
After the situation has been resolved, then the next step is fixing the problems and confusion that occurred. Your emergency preparation should have involved making backup copies of all relevant data related to your finances. On an external drive, you should regularly backup any recent transactions made online, and your credit card information. The idea here is that even if there is a massive power surge that fries your computer, followed by a power failure, once things have been restored to normal you should be able to hook your external drive to an unaffected computer and recover all your data.
Another important step to being prepared for an emergency is having financial records and important contact numbers and names of people in a safe place. In fact, this information should ideally be stored in more than one place, in the event that the first location is compromised. Safe locations could involve an external hard drive, a safety deposit box, a home safe, or some other hidden location. Once the situation has been resolved, these records can be accessed and used to make a quick transition back to normal, and they can often suffice as evidence in case the original data has been lost or damaged.
To be successful with your emergency preparedness, you need to anticipate a great deal. It is hard to predict exactly what will happen in a major crisis, but basic steps you take should involve setting aside some cash and making a backup of your financial information. So much can be lost in such a short period of time that it is well worth it to invest a bit of effort in making sure that should the worst occur, you will be more likely to walk away from it unscathed.
