Philippians 4.9 Observations: 1. Paul shifts from talking about peace as a feeling to Peace as the Person. 2. The entire verse is in "response" to or is a solution to feeling anxious. 3. Paul is using himself as an example of how to do what the verse is telling the Phil. to do. (Learned, received, heard, seen in me...) 4. He gives us a loose structure to present our requests to God. 5. At the end of the verse, Paul is commanding observation of himself as an example and to practice what they learn, see, hear, and received from discipleship. QUESTIONS: 1. How does Paul contribute to this message (why is he a good model to observe and follow- what is his experience)? 2. What type of mindset is this passage referring to? 3. Why does Paul shift from feeling of peace to Person of Peace? 4. Who is Paul talking to and what were they facing? 5. What is the purpose of this passage?

Seeking Him. Like, A LOT. Abraham met with Him a ton and was called "friend". The disciples basically lived with Jesus and were called "friend". I think that conversion starts in the heart. When we meet with God through His Word, in prayer, through obedience...He changes our hearts. One of my favorite loops He gives us in scripture is Psalm 37.4 "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart." and Ezekiel 36.26 "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you..." Early in my walk, I was operating from servanthood. I found the Psalm and thought, if I delight in Him, He will give me my hearts desires. THEN, He started changing my heart and directed me to Ezekiel (and another Proverb but I cant remember which one). This opened my eyes to the fact that He was changing my heart to want what His heart wants. THAT IS WHAT HE MEANS WHEN HE SAYS HE WILL GIVE US THE DESIRES OF OUR HEARTS. Delight in him > He changes your desires to His > He gives us our new desires. I think that is the shift from servanthood to friendship. When your heart is changed to look at Him. And we then see His heart and want that.

My mountain top with God is in my every day. It is in every decision, blessing, opposition, conversation, etc. He has developed in me the ability to gain a 30,000 foot view of any situation to better understand it- so I can advocate for understanding, provide perspective, and ask appropriate questions that help people also develop these skills. BUT, those are like my foothills. I learn those skills on the mountain in my car. When there are things that truly require a different perspective or point of view, things I need to work through in my heart or beliefs or even my perspective of God's character....He works those out with me in my car on my way to work. Or, in my closet, or on a walk. One thing Ive noticed is that I can truly meet him on the mountain no matter where I am.

Im going to change my focus from "Im too busy" to "Im stewarding my time well"

I actually think I am pretty quick to forgive others. I really struggle with forgiving myself. I can rationalize past behavior as doing the best I could with what I had, but I am quickly reminded of the pain I caused others. Pain that their innocence didn't deserve. Pain that will likely stick with them for a lifetime in one form or another. Im actually still working on how to forgive myself. His Word says I am new. And I act new, I try to think new, but there is still a core in the pit of my chest that is gripping onto the shame. It will help me hear God more clearly if I can hear him from a lens of making a mistake, not being a mistake.