Heaven's Sound: Call to the Nations

Heaven’s Sound: Call to the Nations

Jonathan G. Pitts

Copyright

Copyright © 2014 by Jonathan G. Pitts

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

First Printing: 2014

ISBN 978-1-312-68504-8

Greater Works Publishing

A Division of Greater Works International, LLC

Website: www.jpministries.org

Author Email: jgpitts81@gmail.com

Dedication

To my wife Juarkena, thank you for being my biggest fan even when I wasn’t a fan of myself.  Your love constantly inspires me to keep pressing towards my calling in Christ.  I dedicate my life to strive to be more than just your husband but the husband you deserve and the husband God made just for you. 

I love you.

Also Available By Jonathan G. Pitts

Ministering to Millennials: The Challenges of Reaching Generation Why

Connect with Jonathan

Facebook: Jonathan Pitts

Twitter: @JonathanGPitts

Chapter 1 – Heaven’s Sound

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

Acts 2:2

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?  This question, in a variety of forms, has been the subject of debate among philosophers, scientists, physicists, and a number of great thinkers over the course of centuries [1].  Some that say yes assert that sound is a vibration through the air and regardless of whether someone perceives the sound it still exists.  Others that say no may back their claim to say that no human ear is in place to perceive that a sound exists thus bringing a conclusion that a sound cannot exist.  Another group may argue the point to pose the question – just because something is not perceived does that mean it does not exist? 

In this generation, just as the many that have come before, the same questions arise from atheistic and agnostic voices to say that God (specifically Jehovah, the Creator of the Universe) does not exist.  How do they know?  Simply because they cannot perceive His existence.  They do not see Him, cannot touch Him, and are blind to His grace, mercy, and love.  The authority of His Word and the legitimacy of His Son as the Savior of mankind from sin is challenged, attacked, and mocked on a daily basis.  From mathematical proofs and hypotheses to tree rings and evolutionary theorems – the world and the systems of the world attempt to remove the authority of the Word of God as mankind’s pathway to understanding the Creator and establishing a relationship with Him.  The irony of the world’s attempt to deny the ability to perceive God is as limited as the riddle of the tree in the forest that is so respected.  If there is not a human ear in place to hear the sound, is there a sound to be heard?  In the same vein, if there is not a spiritual ear in place to hear the sounds of the Spirit, how can you prove that the sound does not exist? 

If we believe in God, we believe His Word.  If we believe His Word, we believe in His Son and in the Holy Spirit.  If we believe and know His Word to be true, then we must also know that our Lord has a voice – He has a desire to speak to His people and He desires for His people to hear what He hears and see what He sees.  The second chapter of the biblical book of Acts describes some of the manifestations of what occurred after Christ’s ascension to Heaven and the gathering of 120 disciples in the upper room during prayer.  There are so many points that can be explained and expounded upon but the focal point will come from Acts 2:2 where it says there came a sound from heaven.

Why is a Sound from Heaven so important that it would warrant an entire book dedicated to the subject?  There a few reasons:

1)     The Sound from Heaven is part of the first recorded manifestation of the Holy Spirit

2)     Understanding Heaven’s Sound can bring the Body of Christ to a closer walk with God

3)     The Lord has not stopped developing and manifesting sounds for us to hear

Beyond these reasons is simply to understand and know God and to develop a deeper relationship with Him.  Ascending to the heavens to hear what He hears will set His people in place to live out their purposes, acknowledge His glory, and know Him to be more than any man could ever imagine.  From the everyday saint to preachers and musicians, every believer can, and should, desire the ever abiding presence of God in their lives.  His presence includes His benefits, His favor, His power, His glory, His grace, His mercy, His sounds, and, most of all, His love.  As we communicate to this dying world about the new life that is found in Jesus Christ we should stay in tune with the Spirit of God to know His desires, His times, and His seasons for all that we do in His name. 

This book is merely a tool to assist us in beginning a great journey.  A journey that will strengthen newer believers and refresh veteran saints.  It is time for the Body of Christ to rise higher and let the voice of the church be heard in the world.  The Bible tells us that the world we live in is temporary (Luke 21:33; 2 Peter 3:10) so we must stay mindful of the things that will not pass away.  God’s Word will not fail or fall and it is our mandate to make sure we stay in tune with His Spirit.  This journey will seek to have every believer tune his ears to the voice of the Lord and tune his ears to sense the Sounds of Heaven.

The famous question asked at the beginning of the chapter was if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?  An even better set of questions to ask would be:

1)     If the Lord is calling for our attention and no one acknowledges, does it mean God is not speaking to mankind?

2)     If the rest of the world refuses to acknowledge God and His word, does that mean He does not exist?

3)     Are you willing to be one to whom Jesus spoke saying He that hath and ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches (Revelation 2:7)?

The Sounds of Heaven are present, prominent, and ready to be heard.  Prepare for a journey that will sharpen your spiritual ear to hear what the Lord has for His people to hear.

Chapter 2 – The Purpose of the Sound

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Matthew 11:29

Perhaps the most valuable gift that God has given us besides salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is that of rest for our souls.  Have you ever experienced God moving on your behalf in a situation?  Do you have a testimony of Him saving your life?  Since getting to know Him has your life changed for the better?  Many believers (even non-believers) can attest to amazing things happening in their lives from miracles to life-changing events because of God’s intervention.  But have you ever thought about the power of His peace and His rest?  We can all appreciate the moves of God and the mind-blowing miracles that can makes us recognize His power in all new ways.  However, the peace of God that comes from a relationship with Him is, arguably, the most valuable aspect of knowing Him and giving our lives to Him.  To know that our health is guarded by the Almighty and that our families and finances are covered by the Creator should give us a sense of peace we would have never experienced in any other way.

Being a Christian does not mean that our lives will be free from troubles and trials – Psalm 34:19 tells us that the righteous will suffer many afflictions and 1 Peter 4:12 tells us to not think of trials as anything strange.  Yet there is a place in Christ that allows us to trust Him so much that our minds are not troubled with all that we go through in our lives (Philippians 4:6-7).  In the scripture introduced at the beginning of the chapter, Jesus tells his disciples to learn of Him.  As a result of learning about Him and learning from Him, His disciples will achieve rest for their souls.

There are songs and sounds that people use to help them relax and rest.  Some may listen to artists playing mellow instruments while others prefer tracks with sounds of the sea or storms.  Those sounds assist people with tuning out what may be stressing them so that they can allow their bodies and minds to take the time they need to refresh and revive.  Tuning into the Sounds of Heaven will minister to our spirits in the same way.  Hearing the worship in the heavens or listening to the voice of the Lord will bring such calming completion to our lives that we will wonder how we ever survived without doing so before.

Sounds of Peace

As mentioned, there are songs and sounds that we can use in our daily lives that can sooth our minds and help bring rest to our bodies.  In the same way, sounds from heaven can produce peace for our souls.  1 Samuel chapter 16 tells the story of how David was anointed to be the next King of Israel by the Prophet Samuel and describes his appointment to the position of King Saul’s armor bearer.  In the midst of the chapter Saul’s unfortunate condition is described; that of torment and trouble by the hands of an evil spirit.  The reason Saul had this spirit to trouble him was due to his disobedience to the commands of God through Samuel.  As a result of his insubordination God decided that Saul was unfit to be a king over His people.  So, from a spiritual perspective, he was removed from office and his bloodline no longer qualified for the throne.  The new heir and new bloodline, in God’s eyes, would begin with David.  Although he would not claim his crown for some time, the Lord made His intentions abundantly clear by anointing him long before David’s reign would begin. 

What did the evil spirit do to Saul?  Dr. Dave Miller of the Apologetics Press [2] quotes from the work done by Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown who described Saul’s evil spirit as His own gloomy reflections—the consciousness that he had not acted up to the character of an Israelitish king—the loss of his throne, and the extinction of his royal house, made him jealous, irritable, vindictive, and subject to fits of morbid melancholy [3].  Another writer states that his evil spirit experience is comparable to what we know today as Bipolar Disorder [4] while yet another compares it to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder [5].  Whether the evil spirit in question was a character flaw, a mental or emotional disorder, or a literal spirit assigned to torment the disobedient king until the end of his life, we know that it was based on God’s disappointment in Saul’s selfish disobedience and was truly a hindrance to his daily peace.

Yet, there was still a glimmer of mercy laced with the punishment – A Sound.  The young David was not just anointed to be Israel’s king but he was also a talented and well-versed musician.  He is the writer of 73 psalms [6] written in the Bible that reveal his deep love for God and his expressions of various moments in his ever-developing relationship with the