Reveal-
“Lord, it sounds as if You want to announce a new revelation. In this day and age?”
There is nothing surprising or shocking in further revelations.
I reveal things to people all the time in many different ways—in prayer, inspiration, intuition, ethical insight, even aesthetic response.
________
God: An Autobiography, As Told to a Philosopher – is the true story of a philosopher’s conversations with God. Dr. Jerry L. Martin, a lifelong agnostic. Dr. Martin served as head of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the University of Colorado philosophy department, is the founding chairman of the Theology Without Walls group at AAR, and editor of Theology Without Walls: The Transreligious Imperative. Dr. Martin’s work has prepared him to become a serious reporter of God’s narrative. As well as experiences, evolution, autobiography and sparks of wisdom.
________
Listen to this and new series on God: An Autobiography, The Podcast– the dramatic adaptation and continuing discussion of the book God: An Autobiography, As Told To A Philosopher by Jerry L. Martin.
One day, Jerry had an occasion to pray. To his vast surprise, God answered- in words. Being a philosopher, he had a lot of questions, and God had a lot to tell him.
Barbara J Power July 16, 2013
Hello, I was intrigued when I started reading your story, but here towards the end, I am extremely concerned that the voice you hear is NOT God’s. You are changing scripture and the very nature of God. This type of message is wrong and not of God. I could write pages as evidence, but instead I leave you with a couple of straight forward verses to think about.
8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. 9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines.
Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not;…
Be very careful. The warning of false prophets who would rise up and teach doctrines contrary to the Word of God is still in effect.
1 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
When you receive insight or a voice that teaches different truths than the Bible teaches, you have gone astray. Unless, of course, you’re making it all up. Then you’re teaching false doctrine knowingly. The Bible teaches about that also…
Jerry L Martin July 20, 2013
Thank you for your very pertinent comment, Barbara. Let me tell you a story.
The Five Books of Moses formed a complete scripture, and some people thought it was the end of God’s communications. But God continued speaking to the people of Israel, and so came the histories, and the prophets, and the wisdom literature. It is didn’t all fit neatly with what had come before. The priests and prophets argued about it. Some books don’t mention God at all. And that surely covered everything and so people thought, as they put it, “the age of prophecy is over.”
But then came John the Baptist, and the Jesus of the gospels; and, although Jesus was an observant Jew his whole life, what he said did not match some people’s understanding of what had already been revealed, and so there were more debates, and now, surely surely, as his followers in Jerusalem thought, God had nothing to add. And then came the improbable experience of Paul, who had never even met Jesus and had to argue with his Jerusalem followers, who included such authoritative witnesses as Peter and James, the brother of Jesus. And so we have said for two thousand years, that now at last every divine word has been spoken.
Now suppose God decided to say more, and let’s suppose that some of it fit easily with what had already been revealed and some was more puzzling. The hard question is this: Are we in a position to say that God could not decide to say more? Are we in a position to determine what He could say and what He could not say?
As you know, when God says things that do not fit my prior beliefs, I argue with Him. And, when I do that, He tells me to open my mind a little wider and, instead of saying, “no, no, that can’t be so,” try to understand how it CAN be so. We can’t insist that God fit inside our box, our worldview, our theology. It is up to us to fit inside His. The right relation to God is one of humility, and that includes humility of belief.
Finally, Barbara, I commend your reminder of that all-important biblical admonition to “try the spirits whether they be of God.” Anyone who receives a divine message is at risk of mishearing. That is why I have paid a great deal of attention to what the tradition says about spiritual discernment. My experience meets every test of valid discernment except one. Sometimes writers on spiritual discernment insist that, if what is disclosed does not match their own particular theology, it can’t be from God. Personally, I do not see that God is bound by their particular belief system.
There is an old spiritual discipline called “praying through the scriptures” which means that you read carefully and let the spirit guide your understanding. My advice, Barbara, is to pray through this book, not so much to judge it, as to let God speak to you through it. God may have led you to this site for a purpose.
Barbara J Power July 26, 2013
When a man can present himself as a god, or at least as divinity’s chosen servant, and his supporters promote his fantasy, he can wield authority like no other.
I have prayed over your teachings. And I have been told they are false. May you find the Truth in your life.
Jerry L Martin August 5, 2013
I appreciate your praying about this, Barbara. I want to make it clear that I am not presenting myself as a god, or even as God’s authoritative messenger. As I report in the book, God told me “I am not bequeathing you any authority.” And, as I report on the website, since I did not feel like a prophet or saint, I asked what my role was. “Just to be a serious reporter of what you are told when you pray.” That is what I am doing in this book.
I understand the importance of following your own guidance in prayer. Nevertheless, my own feeling is that there is something in this book that God wants to say to you. You might just read on, continuing to pray, and see if a divine message comes through to you. Other than that I am certainly not trying to talk you into anything. Each of us has to follow his or her own best spiritual guidance. Be well, Barbara.