193. From God To Jerry To You- How To Pray

How can a lifelong agnostic end up having a profound conversation with God?

In this episode of God: An Autobiography, The Podcast, host Scott Langdon presents a powerful installment from the series From God To Jerry To You. Jerry L. Martin, author of God: An Autobiography, As Told To A Philosopher, shares his deeply personal approach to prayer—a practice focused not on personal gain but on aligning with God’s will.

Once a philosopher who questioned the very existence of God, Jerry recounts his remarkable journey of faith and the prayer that transformed his relationship with the divine. This four-part prayer emphasizes cultivating desire, understanding God’s promptings, finding strength, and embracing courage.

Whether you're new to prayer or seeking a deeper spiritual connection, this episode offers valuable insights and practical steps to enhance your journey. Discover how thoughtful prayer can bring you closer to fulfilling God’s purpose for your life.

Visit godanautobiography.com for more information and to get your copy of God: An Autobiography, As Told To A Philosopher—the true story of an agnostic philosopher who heard the voice of God and recorded their conversations.

Other Series:

The podcast began with the Dramatic Adaptation of the book and now has several series:

• Life Wisdom Project: How to live a wiser, happier, and more meaningful life with special guests.
• From God To Jerry To You: Calling for the attention of spiritual seekers everywhere, featuring breakthroughs, pathways, and illuminations.
• Two Philosophers Wrestle With God: Sit in on a dialogue between philosophers about God and the questions we all have.
• What's On Our Mind- Connect the dots with Jerry and Scott over the most recent series of episodes.
• What's On Your Mind: What are readers and listeners saying? What is God saying?

Resources:

• WATCH: Falling Love Sight Unseen
• READ: "Believing in Me is the most natural thing in the world."
• FROM GOD TO JERRY TO YOU PLAYLIST

#fromgodtojerrytoyou #FGTJTY #godanautobiography #experiencegod

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Transcript

Scott Langdon 00:17: This is God: An Autobiography, The Podcast. A dramatic adaptation and continuing discussion of the book God: An Autobiography, As Told To A Philosopher by Jerry L. Martin. He was a lifelong agnostic, but one day he 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. Episode 193.

Scott Langdon 01:16: Hello and welcome to God: An Autobiography, The Podcast. I'm your host, Scott Langdon. On the podcast this week we bring you something special from Jerry, as we once again return to one of my favorite of our series, From God To Jerry To You. In this edition, Jerry breaks down his most basic yet most consistent prayer and explains why these elements of prayer have been so important to him and his relationship with God. Has there ever been a time when you felt the desire to connect with and explore the very source of who you are, but felt stuck because you don't know where to start? Well, this episode might just be for you. So here's Jerry sharing some of his ideas on how thoughtful prayer, with certain elements in mind, can help bring us closer to alignment with God's will and purpose for our lives. I hope you enjoy the episode.

Dr. Jerry L. Martin 02:11: Prayer is a powerful, intimate way to connect with God. It is important to learn to pray well. In my case, I don't pray for benefits, I pray for guidance. I don't ask what God can do for me, I ask what God wants of me. My best prayer has four parts. Lord, please help me to have the desire and the understanding and the strength and the courage to do Thy will. Thank you, Lord. So I don't pray for God to give me the desire. I have to do my part.

Dr. Jerry L. Martin 02:57: Does desire mean passionate yearning? Well, not necessarily. It need not be something super intense. It mainly means having openness to God. It requires setting aside my own willfulness and ego and the desires and distractions of the day, and yielding to whatever God wants of me. But desire is not enough To do God's will. I have to know what it is. This requires an active spiritual discernment.

Dr. Jerry L. Martin 03:32: I need help in noticing God's promptings, internal and external. God's signals may just seem like stray thoughts or inner urges. They may come through tasks God puts in our path or coincidences that carry a message. My job is to pay attention. I also need help in understanding what the message is, what the promptings mean. I need help in connecting the dots. I have to put distractions aside and tune in to the message, to let its meaning come through to me. And if I think I understand the message, I pray to receive a confirming nudge to indicate I'm on the right track.

Dr. Jerry L. Martin 04:24: Why do I pray for strength? Well, willingness is not enough. We have to be able to do what God wants of us. We need physical skills and energy. We may need mental concentration and skills. We will need opportunity to be in the right place at the right time. I don't ask God to give us these capabilities, but to help us keep them or acquire them. And although God is the great companion and helper, we have to do the heavy lifting. Finally, I pray for courage. We may need courage to stand up for a cause or for a friend, or to take actions that are outside our comfort zone. Some courage is required simply to trust the unseen God, and so my prayer has four parts: Lord, please help me to have the desire and the understanding and the strength and the courage to do Thy will.

Dr. Jerry L. Martin 05:37: I end with a simple thank you. There are many attitudes one can take toward God awe, reverence, fear, even anger. To me, the most natural response is gratitude. When I look at a beautiful day, I thank the Lord. When I look at my wife, I thank the Lord. When I contemplate the work God has placed before me, I am grateful. I suppose the simple thank you also carries another message. I thank the Lord in advance for helping me, as if it's something I can trust, something I can count on. I think it is.

Dr. Jerry L. Martin 06:23: If you're new to prayer, start with a simple thank you for whatever in your life is a blessing, or just tell God how it is with you, as you might with a friend. Perhaps you're angry with God or in distress. If so, let God know. The first requirement of all prayer is to be truthful. Then review your personal situation and ask what God wants of you. Whatever comes to you, even if it just seems like your own thoughts pay attention, write it down. There may be a divine message therein. Try it and see. If this speaks to you please subscribe and like and share it with your friends. It might be just what they need to hear today.

Scott Langdon 07:32: Thank you for listening to God: An Autobiography, The Podcast. Subscribe for free today wherever you listen to your podcasts and hear a new episode every week. You can hear the complete dramatic adaptation of God: An Autobiography, As Told To A Philosopher by Jerry L. Martin by beginning with episode one of our podcast and listening through its conclusion with Episode 44. You can read the original true story in the book from which this podcast is adapted, God: An Autobiography, As Told to a Philosopher, available now at amazon.com, and always at godanautobiography.com. Pick up your own copy today. If you have any questions about this or any other episode, please email us at questions@godanautobiography.com, and experience the world from God's perspective as it was told to a philosopher. This is Scott Langdon. I'll see you next time.