Midweek Faith  Lift

Power of Faith: Perception

1/29/2025

Su Podraza-Nagle LUT

Good morning and welcome, especially to those who are joining us online. We are glad you are with us today.

Our talk today and in the coming weeks will be viewing our 12 Powers through the Lens and writings of Linda Martella- Whitsett and her book, “Divine Audacity” and sprinkled here and there with knowledge from Charles Fillmore and others.

Sooo, what is Faith?

According to Hebrews 11:1-Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Here’s an example:

I’m sure I’ve told this story before, but I’m going to repeat it.

A little girl living on a horse farm, was wishing for a pony all her own. Her parents didn’t think she was old enough. One day, she was out in the horse barn “helping her dad” muck out the horse stalls. She comes across a pile waiting to be taken away when she furiously starts digging and tossing it with her little rake. He dad, surprised at this commotion, asks, “Sweetie, what are you doing?” She stops what she’s doing, puts her hands on her hips looks at her dad with all seriousness and says, “Dad, with all this manure, my pony has to be in here somewhere!”

Using her perception and Faith, she was absolutely certain her pony would be there.

Something we tend to forget, Divine Source has a timeline of its own. We have chosen to be bound by man-made clocks.

Linda Martella- Whitsett in “Divine Audacity” states, “Faith is our innate power to create our reality by our perceptions, our beliefs and our interpretations. According to our faith, we live in assurance/conviction. According to our faith, we expect. (repeat)

During our Spiritual Growth, we develop in phases. As we begin our Faith journey, we may walk in disbelief, be spiritually unconscious, thinking and believing error thoughts of skepticism, our perception of Faith unclear.  As spiritual growth occurs, we become spiritually conscious and  we start to feel a profound and transformative force. We become more mindful of who we are. Our perception, our ability to see, hear and feel expands. The outer world landscape may change but our Faith grounds us to the Truth.

In Matthew 14:28-31 It speaks of Simon/Peter, the first disciple called by Jesus. While Peter and the disciples werre in a boat, they see Jesus on the water.  Peter sees Jesus wants to come out on the water, to step out in Faith, Jesus says, “come on” Peter then observes he is in fact walking on the water and gets distracted by the wind. He then asks the master Teacher for help because he’s sinking.  

Jesus, who represents the spiritual I AM in us, reached out his hand to Peter. The winds ceased, Peter was shaken loose from his hypnotic entrenchment to the seeming threatening power of the outer condition, and all was well.

Peter is also the Disciple who represents Faith. He too was unsteady before he became the Rock of “The Way, or the church” Allowing the winds of sense thought to permeate the perception of Truth. This is an example of the building up of spiritual consciousness.

How many times have we grasped clearly to our Faith, saw things working in our favor for good and then we sabotaged our good?

Faith is a profound and transformative force that shapes our lives, beliefs, and interactions with others. According to Charles Fillmore, faith is not just a passive belief but an active and dynamic power that can bring about significant change in our lives.  What we perceive, we achieve.

Ask basketball players who meditate on dunking balls before a game. They have Faith in their abilities, and they actively call it forth.

The studies are out there.

Faith is a central principle, which emphasizes the spiritual unity of all people and the power of affirmative prayer. Faith is more than mere belief; it is an unwavering trust in the divine presence and power within each individual.  Charles Fillmore believed that faith could be cultivated and strengthened through prayer and meditation. Linda Martella- Whitsett states, “We experience a reality formed when we interpret our observations about life…” This is when we begin to step out in Faith.

How does this currently look in your life today?

She goes on to say, “Our perception is so critical to our experience of reality that it would be wise for us to question our perception and to seek the greatest truth we can fathom as the basis for our viewpoint.”

This can be somewhat of a challenge. Maintaining Spiritual Principle, and right perception when we have felt slighted;` looking through the lens of Spiritual Understanding, what is the whole story?

         Maintaining our Faith and Truth in perception while interacting with others requires a delicate balance of conviction and compassion.

It is important to express our faith through our actions and interactions with others. Here are some ways to uphold our faith while engaging with the world around us:

Practice empathy and understanding. Turn the other cheek. Yes, turning the other cheek and there may be times when turning the cheek means turning it all the way and to walking away. Completely.  

Live by example. In Unity, Prayer and meditation in our daily lives is spiritual exercise.

What Does Our Faith Perception Look Like?

Our perception of faith is deeply personal and can be influenced by various factors, including our upbringing, experiences, and spiritual teachings.  Faith is an inner knowing that transcends logic and reason. It is a confident assurance in the unseen and the intangible, a trust in the Divine order of the Universe.

And so it is and so we let it be. Amen.

As we head into meditation today, check in with your Power of Faith. What is your perception and how do you stand firm?

A Meditation on the Power of Faith

By Rev. Bronte Colbert

Today I honor my faculty of faith……. Whether it is as small as a mustard seed or as large as a mountain, faith is the energy that carries me forward……… It opens my heart to knowing that I am worthy of all good things, including more love.

When events around me seem overwhelming, when worry and doubt darken the landscape of my mind, I call forth faith……. In prayer, I affirm that faith will see me through…….. In meditation, I picture a reservoir of faith that I easily draw from……. Faith fills me with trust and confidence—it lightens any load.

Faith expands my awareness to recognize the presence of Spirit in every person, place, and circumstance…….. It reminds me to trust in my abilities and believe in myself, knowing I am ever supported by the Divine…….

Faith uplifts my thoughts and words to create a brighter picture……… It reminds me to be open to divine guidance, intuitive knowing, and spiritual nudges…….. It aids me in knowing that from a divine perspective, all is truly well.

We come back to this moment, to this place, in Faith,