Prison Break! :D :D :D

"to proclaim freedom 

for the captives

and release from darkness 

for the prisoners"

(Isaiah 61)

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved —you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. (Acts 16: 25-34)

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I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D It took me the whole day to get myself to be still enough to share this (well I did other stuff like I had class and I drank lots of tea, took many naps and made chicken veggie soup from scratch to fight a cold I could feel creeping in. Shindwe!) So this post has been in my drafts since last year (like many others) but I've been too distracted to finish it and post it. Or maybe this is the time I was meant to share it? Idk (Well, I've been distracted a lot- not resting in God- but God is merciful and faithful! :) Anyway, last year God gave me many messages concerning the year 2012. I had named this post Prison Break 2012. I was convicted that there's something special about that year ("midnight"). It was God who led me to learn it's significance so yeah, I was certain about it even as 2012 was coming to a close. But in the Fall He told me that it's not over. I learnt that the Hebrew year started in September and I felt God telling me that it's not over since the prophecies He gave me were concerning the Hebrew year so it overlaps into 2013. He gave me confirmation which I shared in previous posts like "Revolution" and "Soon." Anyway let's move on to the exciting message of this post! :D

FREEDOM IS COMING!!! - BLACK STUDIES REVELATIONS :D

It's funny (and sad) how easily I forget things lol. It's good that I started blogging. So yesterday (and on other occasions this quarter) I got hit by a bout of hopeless, lazy disillusionment. One of those: "What am I doing here?" You see I didn't have to come back to school this quarter since I got done with my major classes last quarter. So yesterday during the BSU (Black Student Union) meeting I told Wisdom that I felt like dropping all my classes -I was joking but serious. Then after Gospel choir I went to Shayne's and I was catching up with Christie and she asked me: "So you're taking classes just for fun?" Which made me think, "Why did I even choose those classes?!!" Then I went to bed (I had a funny dream that's not really relevant lol. Moving on...) and the next morning (today morning) God surprised me with answers (more like reminders/wake-up calls) during my Black Studies class ("The Sociology of the Black Experience" with Professor McAuley).

With Professor McAuley & Wisdom :-)

I got to class like 2 min late and I walked in just as the Professor was saying something about Christianity. (We've been reading and discussing the book, "The Philadelphia Negro" by Du Bois and when I said "we" I actually meant "they"- I've been a bad student but I shall repent lol). I sat down and I heard the rest of what he was saying. He talked about how "The Good Book" aka The Bible doesn't discriminate people based on race yet during the slavery days the white church either refused blacks to attend or they had a separate sitting area. So the whites refused to have communion with them (Common ground in Christ) and because of that the black church became a protest against racist Christianity (the hypocrisy of the white church). As people continued discussing, I kinda drifted off and this song randomly popped into my head, "The Battle is raging" by Laura Hackett and then I randomly remembered that I had heard the story behind the song. I kept this at the back of my mind and I didn't really get what God was trying to say until later. So midway through the class people seemed tired (I know I was!) so they weren't talking as much then the professor shared this "random" story. He said something like, "Just as an aside: Yesterday evening it was hazy and silent and I could have sworn that an earthquake was going to hit. I usually can tell, I'm like a dog when it comes sensing them lol. When I first came here (California) I could sense them and my predictions would come true. But it didn't happen yesterday but today morning the weather was the same, 'earthquake-y'" People laughed and he moved on with the lecture. Then towards the end of the class, he was like, "Oh yeah! I now remember why I shared that story... Why I brought up the earthquake thing is because people (who were sleepy in class) would be more awakened if an earthquake were to hit... but I'm not wishing an earthquake happens just for the sake of my class. Don't come jump me in the next class if a 7. something earthquake hits haha." And the class laughed and left.

I was definitely awakened by what he said (even though he was joking) and it reminded me of this post that was in my drafts. On my ride back to my apartment the puzzle pieces started coming together and I got more confirmation when I got home and re-watched the story behind the song. I laughed in excitement coz God had answered my questions from the previous night. He reminded me of stuff He already taught me. Check out the video below! So I had wondered, "Why I am I here?" and "Why did I choose those classes?" So I'm taking 2 Black Studies classes (the other one is "Africa in Film" with Professor Akudinobi) and Music 11 (Fundamentals in Music). Haha! :D Do you get it now? It's pretty much the same thing that God taught me in the REAL Identity, Prepare the Way!  and  African Diasporic Appreciation posts but apparently I keep forgetting (getting distracted and falling asleep).

PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT! I HAVE A MESSAGE FOR YOU! FREEDOM IS COMING SOON!!! :D

God is doing something NEW in the desert season we are in. Change is coming! A Second Exodus! REVIVAL!!! God wants to WAKE US UP to our REAL IDENTITY. Our community is still under lots of oppression (spiritual warfare) but We are NOT FORGOTTEN! God has a plan to REDEEM us and use us in REDEMPTION of the Nations. God will make a way. He will bring Freedom. Re-read the Acts passage in the first section: our freedom will lead to freedom for many others. The means (from the passage, the video, my previous posts and The Bible): Music of His Word. A song. A NEW SONG. So sing a New Song to the Lord Africa! SING! I have more to share in my drafts. Like I said, it's not just about us, God is uniting His body and building His house to be a house of all nations =) Praise the LORD! Our Redeemer lives! :D

Oh yeah, an actual earthquake is coming but don't get hung up on that coz we're in the calm before the storm but when the storm hits no worries, we will rise above on eagles' wings! Glory to God! Praise Him! WOOHOO! :D Here's my new song (a spontaneous prayer song) I sung last April. Be blessed :)
Application: Let's be prepared :) Let's Put on the FULL Armor of God (more info in that post), and just praise Jesus and Love outloud! Love, Charlene =)

 

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Update: 5/29/2013 GOOD MORNING!

I set my alarm for 7 this morning though I had class at 10 coz I've been waking up late... which has also enabled me to be spiritually lazy (asleep). So yeah I decided to wake up early to pray but I just went to the bathroom, looked at my sleepy eyes then I went back to bed lol. Shortly after I was woken up by an earthquake and my first words: "Jesus! Oh my God!" Now for the background story: .... (I give a lot of background so you can skip to the main section: EARTHQUAKE)

The previous night I was reflecting on some things... At the beginning of this year (Winter Quarter) I came back to SB because of what was on my heart ... God had revealed to me many things about the times we are living in which put an urgency on my heart to share the gospel and to love... it was so convicting and pressing that I would be pushed to tears many times when I was in a room with a group of people (BSU, gospel choir, Impact, with InterVarsity people, in my classes or just walking on campus) but I would leave to cry then go back when I had composed myself (though I couldn't hold back one time at gospel choir but I guess no one noticed). I was crying because I was a broken mess for a long time which kept me from being a part of those communities, sharing my life, sharing love and truth. I was crying because of the division I saw among people who didn't even see it as a problem. I was crying because of the shallow relationships I had with people and that people were satisfied with that. So yeah, God gave me another chance that quarter to give my all (post: What's your name?) but I held back once again since I did not want to inconvenience people's lives - by sharing my burdens and my emotions - so I failed :/

I thought I was done that quarter yet I didn't feel like I was done. So I moved out of SB and went home but the whole time I was there God kept telling me in different ways (mostly through music) to "Not forsake the call. And to risk all for the sake of the call" but then I was like "I'm not in SB anymore"... how am I meant to do that? I made some videos and I had started to blog but I didn't finish and publish them because I was just tired and it was too much for me emotionally... So yeah, when I saw the letter that I wasn't done with one class everything made sense. God hadn't told me to leave SB just yet so I went back but then I went right back into the swing of things. The only difference was that God directed me to check out different Christian groups- I hadn't done that before. He showed me that He's bringing unity in His whole body at SB and I later found out about the "With One Voice event"- when I read the description I was dumb-founded coz it's the vision I had on my heart. But I thought that God wanted other people to bring it forth instead of me so I didn't really do anything about it except tell people that I ran into. But then later on I saw how dumb that reasoning was... we all needed to work as a body to bring forth that vision... and it's the same vision that Judith and Alex saw (unity in the body -across fellowships) then revival happening. So I tried my best to do my part though it was last minute...

EARTHQUAKE

Anyway, back to the night before the earthquake... I was reflecting on the With One Voice worship night... and I remember saying that the only visions that haven't happened yet from Pre-Fall Leaders Retreat is Unity in the body and Paul's vision of an earthquake in IV then revival... I also saw this post on Kevin Mirasi's blog - a post about a 5.7 earthquake that God told would come to California... So I went to bed thinking about that... and I was still positive that revival would happen by the end of this school year... at least the start of it... So I went to sleep and woke up at 7 then went back to sleep and then BAM! the earthquake that Paul prophesied hit Santa Barbara... for me that really woke me up and I felt God reinforcing that it is time.

IT IS TIME! TIME FOR WHAT???

IT'S TIME FOR SLEEPING BEAUTY TO ARISE! TIME TO WATCH AND PRAY! FOR THE BRIDE GROOM IS COMING FOR HIS BRIDE! A NEW SEASON IS ABOUT TO BREAK THROUGH ! LET'S ARISE! THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL! BRIDE OF CHRIST ARISE AND SHINE! LET US PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE KING OF GLORY! CHANGES ARE COMING TO THE EARTH! ARISE!  (posts: SOON! Here Comes the Bride Groom The HARVEST)

So yeah, Jesus is coming (1.5 coming -the rapture) and before that a larger earthquake is coming to California and the West Coast as a sign of the times. At first I thought that it would take an earthquake to awaken the church but God showed me through the scripture at the top of the post the order of events: Unity in prayer n worship in the body of Christ then earthquake -> With One Voice unity worship night  then earthquake in IV. So yeah a larger earthquake has been prophesied so it's time for the body of Christ to arise in PRAYER and WORSHIP - for chains to be broken and eyes to be opened and Christ to be revealed. We need to come together and wait on God to give us His heart and to clothe us with power. That's how revival will break forth (Read Acts 1-2). It starts with His Church. So let's WAKE UP CHURCH! (post: Time to SEEK!)

Yeah I know finals are coming up... do you know what else is coming up? THE END OF THE AGE. So I think we need to do a priority check if that's our excuse not to pray. Take study breaks and PRAY. Wake up earlier and PRAY. Prefarably with others. LET'S PRAY TOGETHER! That's how the disciples applied the command Jesus gave them to wait on His Spirit in Acts 1 and even The Lord's Prayer was a communal prayer.  So yeah hit me up whenever if you want to pray with me. Also there's a prayer meeting tonight (Tuesday) at 10pm at 6517 Madrid Road. (post: A Call to Prayer)

Church, it's time to love. We need His power to love. Let's PRAY. TOGETHER. PLEASE.

Sorry this is super late. But God is gracious. Let's apply it still. It's not too late. It's ♫ just in Time. ♫ So yeah, there's no time to wallow in the past. Let's move forward together and partner with God in building His Kingdom here! Oh yeah, this update is mostly for a Christian audience if you have no clue what I'm talking about you can start here:  Behold!, The Kingdoms, My G.P.S, Pimp My Ride, Quick Testimony: FREEDOM! 

K feel free to ask questions. And hit me up for prayer and friendship. Blessings! :-)