CD Overdubs Are Complete!

Update on Album!

Ways to Give (donations are tax-deductible):

• Cashapp: $oseburnett

• Paypal: www.paypal.me/FLFSSM

• Venmo: @wearefirstlove

• Zelle: 918-523-0356 (Designate to First Love Fellowship for tax-deductible receipt).

• Mail: Make Check payable to First Love Fellowship, 7122 South Sheridan Road, Suite 521, Tulsa OK 74133

A Little Update....or maybe more.

It’s been a while since I’ve written anything. I usually just journal and call it a day. But I wanted to updated you on what’s been happening with me- and just to share a bit of life with you.

It has been a whirlwind of a life. We started First Love Fellowship -our church in Oklahoma- 5 years ago. It was one of the best “obedient” decisions we’ve made. We knew the Lord called us to do this before we got married. The mandate? To win the church to Christ. What a feat! And after living in the Bible Belt for more than 25 years, we understand why God wanted this to be done. If you want to see what we’ve been doing as a church, go to www.wearefirstlove.com.

In the midst of all of this, there’s singing lessons, piano lessons, and homeschooling. I’m not new to this, but I’m grateful for the strides that homeschooling has taken in the past 10+ years. I do not regret one second, homeschooling. It’s an absolute blessing.

We celebrated our 25th anniversary last year, and I turned 50 years old as well! It was a monumental time in the Lord and we celebrated and gave God all the glory for what HE has done in our lives. In the midst of that celebration, and impromptu live recording was birthed, and it turned into a CD. Only God could orchestrate such a move, because I had given up on doing live recordings after my previous experiences. But God keeps blowing my mind and He just does what He does best- He orders our steps because He delights in our way. (Psalm 37:23).

So the CD overdubs are COMPLETE!! GLORY TO GOD!

Next up: mixing and mastering.

I don’t think people understand the work that goes into doing an album. It’s definitely work! But the joy of capturing the anointing and presence of God on a recording? There’s nothing like it. I can’t wait for you to hear it.

Keep us in prayer as we are nearing the end of production. We need the prayer cover!

To be continued…

Music Ministry: Adjusting Our Perspective Biblically

Dear Friends,

Music ministry is such a needed part of the body of Christ. It is the prelude to the Word being preached at countless churches all over the globe. It is what God uses to reroute the enemy out of countless of lives. It brings healing and deliverance to the hearer. The Bible requires that we are to enter His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise (Psalm 24). Music is a way to offer up thanksgiving, praise and worship to the almighty God. He is worthy of all of our praise, and everything that He has created, were created to magnify Him. And music- anointed music- is one of the many ways in which we give our praise to God.

There is, however, a subtle deception that has crept in to the church in regards to music ministry. It has been elevated to a place that it has not been assigned to in the Word of God. We have now made celebrities out of Christian music singers; we have created idols of those who are in the Christian music industry. We have actually created the "office" of music ministry besides the 5-fold ministry outlined in the Word of God. According to Ephesians 4:11, we have the offices of the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. But we have now added the titles of "psalmist", "worship leader", "gospel singer", "artist", "godfather/godmother/prince of praise and worship", "prince of gospel", "queen of gospel" - you name it- in Christiandom, we've found a name for it. But this is not the purpose of music ministry. I'd like to deal with two pressing issues that I believe the Lord wants to convey to us as Levites. 

Music: A Ministry of Helps

First, music ministry in the Old Testament was assigned by King David. He assigned LEVITES to prophesy on instrument he made himself:

“ALSO DAVID and the chiefs of the host [of the Lord] separated to the [temple] service some of the sons of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, who should prophesy [being inspired] with lyres, harps, and cymbals." 1 Chronicles‬ ‭25:1‬a

Notice, that they are Levites. They were separated and set apart PRIOR to being assigned the task of being singers and minstrels. Music is just a tool. It is a helps ministry that brings pleasure to the Father. It is for Him and His glory. It's not for us to "blow up". We must get back to the humility of service. As a minister, when I am invited to minister at a church or event, I am there as a SERVANT.  They are not there to "hold my water" so to speak. I should be asking them, "How do you want me to serve your congregation today?" I do not ask them to put me in a particular hotel, with peanuts on my pillow and my favorite water. That is worldly, and we have adapted that carnal mindset from secular music and the secular world. WE ARE SERVANTS. We are here to serve.

Be Who God Has TRULY Called You To Be

Secondly, we cannot hide our true calling behind music ministry. Some are called to just be musicians and singers and are called to the ministry of helps. If that is who you are, stay exactly where God has called you to be. This admonition is not for you. But, I have noticed that those that are called specifically to the five-fold ministry, are suppressing their calling. Instead of walking in the call of God for their lives, they hide behind their musical gifts. We get a glimpse of their gifts once in a while, as they minister in song, or through their instruments, but they are like modern-day Jonahs. They are running. They are afraid, intimidated, unsure of their identity, or afraid to trust God for their daily provision. Is that you? I want to encourage you to step out and be who God has called you to be. If you are a seer, step into that calling. The body of Christ needs you now more than ever. Are you called to be a pastor? Don't assume that it will look like the TV preachers that you grew up with, or if it will look like your current pastor's calling. Trust the Lord with your identity and destiny. He alone equips the called. Stop running. He needs you in this hour. Trust Jesus with your heart and life. He is with you.

We are nearing His return. It is closer than we realize. And we have to do a heart check as music ministers. We must make sure that we are in the center of His will. We must make sure that we are not basing our identity on how we perform as singers and musicians. As Levites, we are set apart. God is our inheritance. He is the one that directs our steps musically. Let's make sure that we are not carnal; that we do not take our cue from the world. The word "minister" means to serve, or serve. That is who we are. Our reward does not come from our peers. It comes from the Lord. And we must walk fully in the call that He has called us to. 

The Beauty of Holiness

Have you ever stopped to meditate on the phrase used to describe God in our worship called the “beauty of Holiness”? We always sing about it in church. But holiness has earned a bad stigma to it because of man-derived rules. But let’s start from the top down, per se. Look at holiness from God’s view. One of my favorite scriptures about God is Exodus 15:11:

Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you? – majestic in holiness, fearful in praises, working wonders?

Here’s some other scriptures that speaks of His holiness:

1The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved. 2The LORD is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people. 3Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy. (Psalm 99:1-3 KJV)

“There is no one holy like the LORD, Indeed, there is no one besides Thee, Nor is there any rock like our God (1 Samuel 2:2).

There is no one like Thee among the gods, O Lord; Nor are there any works like Thine. 9 All nations whom Thou hast made shall come and worship before Thee, O Lord; And they shall glorify Thy name. 10 For Thou art great and doest wondrous deeds; Thou alone art God (Psalms 86:8-10).

25To whom then will you liken Me, that I should be equal to him? says the Holy One.    26Lift up your eyes on high and see! Who has created these? He Who brings out their host by number and calls them all by name; through the greatness of His might and because He is strong in power, not one is missing or lacks anything.    27Why, O Jacob, do you say, and declare, O Israel, My way and my lot are hidden from the Lord, and my right is passed over without regard from my God? (Isaiah 40:25-27, Amplified Bible (AMP))

“For this is what the high and exalted One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy:“I live in a high and holy place,but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit,to revive the spirit of the lowlyand to revive the heart of the contrite.” (Isaiah 57:15, New International Version (NIV))

But there is beauty in holiness. There’s freedom in holiness. God is holy! Holy means separate. God is separate from sin. He does not associate with it. So we can’t say we love God and live in sin. Holiness is beyond man-made dos and donts. God requires it. It is a REQUIREMENT. Without holiness, NO man shall see God (Hebrews 12:14).  And when I think about all the sins I’ve committed, I rather choose holiness. TRUST ME, there’s beauty in holiness. I experience it every time I say no to sin. I’m able to see God when I live a holy life. There’s nothing like it.

Sin brings feelings of condemnation, shame, horrible memories. Pleasure for a moment, but for those of us that our conscious has not be seared, it brings a disgusting feeling of guilt, and it tries to pull us from God’s presence. In some ways, I’m grateful for those feelings. Those feelings remind me of how low my flesh can go, and I do not desire to experience those feelings all the time. And I know that if I ever stop feeling sorry for my sins, then sin has fully conceived, and I’m dead spiritually (James 1:14-16).

We cannot see God without living holy. And of course, your mind goes to topics that we have labeled “major sins”, i.e. sexual sins, murder, etc. But we never consider that UNFORGIVENESS is a major sin. Strife, malice, anger (rage), resentment, disobedience, slander (Galatians 5:21-24). All those things will keep us from seeing God.

So I want you to have a different perspective about holiness. If you truly love God, you will strive for holiness in EVERY area of your life.

Love,

Ose

Keep Your Mind...God's In Control

This is for someone today….especially for those who love giving people “a piece of their mind”, or telling people off, or cutting people off. Take heed.

The urge to defend yourself as a Christian when someone does you ill or wrong is very strong, isn’t it? When you’re misunderstood, judged (and I use this word in its rightful meaning, not the “DON’T Judge me” jargon that’s been spewed around an…

d abused), and mistreated, it is a natural inclination to defend yourself. But the problem is, when we decide to do it, God sits back and allows us to do it, and He no longer becomes your defender. And we do such a bang-up job of it, that it makes us look worse than perceived! And for people that have personalities like mine (outgoing, love EVERYBODY, etc), it’s much harder for us.

But remember, Jesus “opened not His mouth”, when he was being reviled and talked about. He chose a disciple from the beginning that He knew would betray Him. He was judged, maligned, had people “defriend” him (I know…I know…they didn’t have facebook then, but it was MUCH worse!) So do you think you’re bigger and better than your Master now? Did you honestly think that you were exempt just because you get “likes” on your posts? Don’t be fooled into complacency. Be sober about the DAY you’re living in. Be discerning of the people around you. Don’t just listen to words. “See” past their words. Look at their actions. You will be hated by other “Christians” and the world for standing up for what’s right.

And as the Bible says, “As He is, so are WE in this world”. So just sit back, and let the Lord defend you. And finally, YOU STILL HAVE TO LOVE THEM. Sorry…can’t get past that. You MUST love. Sometimes saying NOTHING is your defense. Just let God handle this one. #speakingfromexperience