The word "crisis" in the Chinese language has 2 symbols that define its meaning. One represents potential danger and the other represents hidden opportunity. Thus it appears that the Chinese indicate their belief that a crisis isn't always a bad thing. Even though there might be a potential for danger, there is an equal amount of hidden opportunity. They have the attitude that a crisis has the potential to take them to a better place.

This brings us to the subject of perspective. When we mistakenly blame God for whatever "crisis" we find ourselves in, we automatically have eliminated our We take away the hidden opportunity to discover a "gifr" when we blame God for whatever 'crisis' we have found ourselves in. We must learn to see from God's perspective and draw truth from chaos. God will show you the measure of opportunity that can come out of a crisis.

In Hebrew, the word for crisis is the same word they used to describe a "birth stool," which was the seat on which Jewish women sat as they gave birth. So during a crisis, you are giving birth. Out of your crisis, your pain, you are going to bring forth something great, and it will come from within you. Instead of trying to lay blame to anyone else or your circumstances, remember that God has given you a promise: "We know that in ALL things God works for GOOD (Romans 8: 28)

When Joseph was falsely imprisoned, instead of hiding away in misery, he prospered because he believed that he was to take advantage of his circumstances. What a powerful lesson for all of us! Joseph TRUSTED God and knew that he would realize the promise that God had given him. He prophesied and interpreted dreams while he was in prison. When you find yourself in a crisis, you must function as though you are already living in your promise. In the midst of a crisis, if God has told you to do something... DO IT! You will find what is hidden: a GIFT!

Throughout Holy Writ God has given us EXAMPLES to follow for our lives to implement in each and every situation, in all hidden opportunities. If we apply His examples, we will not only be brought through our difficult circumstances, but we will also discover a GIFT.

Does your crisis seem to be utter 'darkness?' Chaotic? Have no order? In the beginning, that is the way the earth was, "The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. " (Gen. 1:2) ~ "Then God SAID, "Let there be light, and there was light." (Gen 1:3). God could have snapped His fingers, wiggled His nose, clapped His hands... however, He did none of those things. He SPOKE. The FIRST... EXAMPLE...that God give us: The POWER OF OUR SPOKEN WORDS. We HAVE what we SAY!

The hidden opportunity is the potential danger because we continuously talk about how bad our circumstances are. Let us consider for a moment the 'power' of our own 'spoken words. We are not often taught or encouraged concerning the ways that we can discover hidden opportunities, our hidden GIFTS. In the Bible it says that God shares His secrets (hidden opportunities) with his servants the prophets.

Instead of showing those who are lost and blinded by sin that there is a hidden opportunity in their present circumstances, the church is constantly trying to get rid of those who have problems that are too hard to deal with, such as homosexuality and pedophilia. Your crisis, or a crisis around you, such as one that might be in your own church, such as homosexuality or pedophilia, can become the birthing ground for unrealized destiny. Crisis always produces equal measures of devastation and opportunity, and anyone will agree that it is considered an unpleasant thing. However, until people get the VISION and learn how to reach out to those with 'hard to deal with sin,' people, in and out of the church are going to simply perish!. Where there is no vision, the people perish… (Proverbs 29:18)

The Scandinavian Bible is slightly different than our English version. The Scandinavian version says, "Without progressive revelation, the people dwell carelessly. " Proverbs 29:18 (Scandinavian Bible Version). To dwell carelessly means to live loosely by speaking badly of one another and fighting one another.

When a church is dwelling carelessly by gossiping and fighting each other, they have no progressive or future insight. This usually happens when the eschatology has the escapism perspective (we must get out of here). By adapting this kind of thinking, they have taken progressive revelation away from the people. When you have hope, but have not seen it yet, that is progressive revelation. Paul said in Romans that hope is no longer hope when it is felt and seen with the natural eye. Hope is only hope when you don't have what you are hoping for in your hands yet.

If you hope for a house, and you get it and you are standing in it, hope has disappeared. Without hope you will not live. We know that Y'Shua will return, but we also know that no man will know the day or the hour of His return and the reason we aren't to know is so that we can continue to hope and work towards our destiny, both as a whole human race and as individual souls. So while we look for and await His coming, we don't just sit around and wait.

I encourage you to get some progressive revelation in your life and continue to look to the future. Continue to seek your destiny. Stay focused when you are in the midst of life's challenges. Hope: excited expectation. Hope will keep you alive! Remember, with each passing day: you are not what you used to be and better days are still ahead! ~ Ms. CiCi ~ http://cici-online.com