“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” – Jesus, The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:13)

It is a passage that we have seen or heard so many times, but when we think about it we realize that it contains much more truth than we give it credit for at first glance. It is one of those passages in the New Testament that makes it so clear that praying and living are two sides of the same coin. Jesus is giving fundamental teaching about prayer; but, He is also giving us fundamental teaching on how we are to live. 

Prayer is so important. Praying strengthens our bond with God. There are times however when prayers seem to end up in limbo. If you feel that way periodically, you’re not alone. Most Christians understand the struggles with praying. But usually the struggles revolve around our perceptions and our expectations when we pray. We feel entitled. We want a response from God and it doesn’t come or it is not the answer we hoped for,  it creates uncertainty. So what’s the solution?  

The answer is praying with the mindset that God is always working in our life. Praying with complete trust in Him, because He always knows what is best for us. The greatest example of how to pray is Christ. In Matthew (Matthew 6:9-13), Jesus answered the disciple’s question on how to pray. The Lord’s Prayer is the blueprint for praying. The final part of the prayer heightens God’s power to lead us away from temptation and protect us from evil. This provides us the strength to live in a wicked world.

Matthew 6:13 puts a prayer on our lips that acknowledges our vulnerability to sin. This verse acknowledges that if left to our own devices, we are prone to become ensnared and—most humiliating of all—to ensnare ourselves?  Christ is reminding us that we need to call on God’s help in the face of temptation. But it’s also a plea for God to help us make the wise decisions that keep us out of vulnerable situations and to ask for the wisdom to develop a lifestyle that limits temptations. “Evil” in this verse refers to “the evil one.” The evil one is smarter and stronger than we are. Not smarter and stronger than God, but smarter and stronger than we are.

So, we need to call on God to give us the power to resist temptation and deliver us from the evil one. He wants to destroy our lives, but God wants us to live and live life to the fullest. It just makes sense to trust God and resist temptation and believe God will deliver us from evil.

The evil one exists and is active in this world. Still, we should never give more time to thinking about the reality of evil than we do the reality of God’s victory over that evil.  Whenever the trial is too painful, the temptation too irresistible, ask the Lord to lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. 

Discussion Questions:

1. The last half of Matthew 6:13 says, “…but deliver us from the evil one.” Two other passages in Scripture also refer to the evil one. Read Jesus’ prayer in John 17:13-19 and Paul’s request in 2 Thessalonians 3:2-5. How do we resist the evil one?
2. Read 1 Corinthians 10:13: does this passage provide hope in the face of temptation? 

“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges: he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” –  Philippians 2:5-8. 

We live in an era when might is right—we admire those who seem to be self-sufficient and don’t need anyone. Humility has had a lot of bad press as a virtue. It’s seen as groveling and a sign of weakness. But not so with Jesus.  Listen to what Jesus said: “…Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.” (Luke 9:48). He turned the view of that day upside down. Think for a moment how Jesus showed humility. God, His Father, chose the humblest of circumstances for His birth. He was born of Mary and Joseph, two average people without wealth, social standing, or prominence of any kind. They had to find room to stay the night so Mary could give birth, as there was no room for them in Bethlehem.

Throughout His ministry, Jesus called people to follow Him. They were ordinary people without much in the way of achievements or social status either. He called a group of ordinary people around Him and concentrated on teaching and equipping them. Mark 10:45 says, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

A servant had virtually no rights. A servant was a person with no privileges, and Jesus stepped down into that position. Remarkable, isn’t it? He accepted hospitality from people throughout His life. Even so, listen to what Jesus often told His disciples: “…For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14). Jesus turned our idea of greatness on its head. Jesus came into our world to introduce humility. He was humility incarnate.

We read that one night at the Passover Jesus poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with a towel. Peter had some difficulty with this experience. So Jesus said, “And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master.” (John 13: 14-16). Humility is mentioned frequently in scripture. “The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.” (Isaiah 57:15).

To be humble means to recognize we are not self-sufficient, rather that we depend on God for all we need.  We should be humbly thankful for our salvation, our hope, our strengths and abilities.  

Discussion Questions:

1. Read Philippians 2:3-4 . How do these verses describe humility? (not being selfish or trying to impress, thinking of others, taking an interest in others) Why is it hard for us not to think about ourselves first?
2. What can we do this week to be thankful for what God is doing in our lives?   

“Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.”Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” – Judges 6:13-14

Our perspective — the way we interpret what’s happening around us — can make or break us in any given situation. Our perspectives shape us, how we think, how we engage with people, and our daily actions. It steers the way we live.  God sometimes has a totally different perspective than us.

The challenge for us is for us to align our perspective with God to see things from His vantage point. That often requires us to change the way we think. We need to change our perspective on who we are.  In Judges 6, God turns a worrier into a warrior. Gideon was a man that was challenged several times to look at things through a different lens, to have faith in God, and to say yes to all that God wanted to do through his life. God took Gideon, an ordinary person, and used him to do some extraordinary things. After being called a mighty warrior, Gideon questions God: “Sir, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.” (Judges 6:13) Gideon’s conclusion was that the Lord had abandoned them.

Verse 14 records something that must have caught Gideon off guard. It says that “the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” Gideon still isn’t doing the math in this divine equation, so he notes just how unimpressive his resume is. He is the weakest link in his clan, the youngest in his family. He doesn’t have any authority to call out the cavalry from his own tribe, let alone from others. But God confirms His priorities with His presence in v. 16,   “…I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.” Gideon is given a task, told the remarkable results in advance, and promised the partnership of God Himself. In verse 22, the pieces fell into place for Gideon: “ When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he cried out, “Oh, Sovereign Lord, I’m doomed! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!”

Gideon needed a personal encounter with God and his outlook, his perspective changed. When we live with our own narrow negative perception we restrict how God can flow through us. We want no obstacles and no boundaries to what God can do. Just like Gideon, God wants to take ordinary us and do something extraordinary. God has a plan for all of us. Make the most of the opportunities the Lord gives you. Be faithful, be focused, and follow Him.

Discussion Questions:

1. What does this story on Gideon tell us about how God looks at us?
2. What are some perceptions that you need to address in your relationship with God? 

“Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.” ~ Psalm 50:14

Thanksgiving is the origin point for all worship. In fact, without gratitude, your heart will not connect with the Lord in worship because worship is, first and foremost, a heart condition. In Psalm 50:23 the Lord said, “But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.” A heart that is filled with thanks for what the Lord has done is ready to enter into His presence because praise is what paves the way into His courts. “Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.” (Psalm 100:4)

We need to practice gratitude as often as we can. When you make up your mind to see the blessings in your life, no matter how small, something will shift in your thinking and emotions.  You will experience more peace, more contentment when you choose to see what you have versus what you don’t have and seeing God’s hand behind the blessings in your life. You will know how to recognize God’s presence through gratitude.  

We have so much to be grateful for in our lives. We serve a good and loving God who knows how to give good things to His children: “So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” (Matthew 7:11)  Practicing gratitude to God becomes a powerful way for us to live. Our hearts become glad when we are grateful to God. We affirm the good in our lives and recognize that the source of this goodness is from God.

We should count our blessings each day. Set aside time regularly to be quiet, to reflect and thank God for what He has done. From the moment we awake to the moment we fall into bed, we often go at full speed and never slow down. If we schedule some time every day in which we can be quiet and reflect, we will allow ourselves a break from our fast-paced lives. In the first moments of the day, when we feel most focused, before the work of the day takes over, take some time to think about what God has done for you, and thank Him and to seek His presence. 

When the apostle Paul describes what being filled with the Spirit looks like, he doesn’t point to ecstatic experiences or miraculous spiritual gifts — he points to thankfulness. He says:“be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:18–20, NIV)

Practicing gratitude to God becomes a powerful way for us to live. Our hearts become glad when we are grateful to God. We affirm the good in our lives and recognize that the source of this goodness is from God.

Discussion Questions:

1. How is your dependence on God connected to gratitude? 
2. Why is thankfulness an important part of the Christian life? In what ways do you give thanks on a regular basis in your life?

“Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” – Psalm 107:8-9. 

Are you thankful no matter what? Perhaps you have lost your job recently, as the economy has continued to struggle. Or you may have lost your health or a loved one. Such circumstances can be tremendously difficult. But even so, can we find joy and be thankful for all we have been given by God. Paul is an example of somebody who could be discouraged, even bitter.

Put yourself in Paul’s shoes: The next footsteps in the corridor might be those of the guards taking him away to his execution. His only bed was the hard, cold stone floor of his prison cell. The irritation and the pain of his chains were his constant companion. Isolated, unjustly accused, brutally treated—if ever a person had a right to complain, it was Paul, languishing almost forgotten in a harsh Roman prison. But instead of complaints, his words spoke of praise and thanksgiving. Earlier, when he had been imprisoned in Rome, Paul wrote, “ singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:19-20)

Thanksgiving for the Apostle Paul was not a once-a-year celebration, but a daily reality that changed his life enabling him to find joy in every circumstance. Being grateful to God for all His blessings should be one of the most distinctive marks of the believer in Jesus Christ, especially in times of trial.  Even when facing negative circumstances, we can thank God, because we know that He has promised to be with us and that He will help us. We know that He can use times of suffering to draw us closer to Himself: “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.” (James 1:2-3)

When the prophet Daniel learned that evil men were plotting against him to destroy him, “he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.” (Daniel 6:10)  Paul declared, “always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.” (Colossians 1:12)

God has given us the greatest Gift of all—His Son, who died on the cross and rose again so that we can know Him personally and spend eternity with Him in heaven. “Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!” (2 Corinthians 9:15, NIV).

 Discussion Questions:

1. How does one be thankful for all God has done on a daily basis? 
2. What can we do this week to have an attitude of gratitude to God? 

“Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God.”– Psalm 146:3-5. 

These words from Psalms are always a good reminder, but appear especially relevant in the heated and divisive political environment of today. Just as the people of Israel were tempted to put their trust in the king’s sons, the next generation of potential leaders – the “princes” – so we are tempted to place our hope in the president and the next generation of political leaders. 

The bottom line is that it doesn’t matter which side of the political spectrum you are on. This political system is not our hope. This government is not our hope. This president is not our hope. God is our hope. 

Psalm 27 simplifies this subject to a great degree. In verses 10-11 we read, “Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close. Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me.”  So even if you are forsaken by your father and mother, attacked by foes, and by greedy enemies, you have hope in God. We’ve all at one time or another put on confidence in people and things other than God but loves us anyway. 1 Corinthians 2:3-5 says: “I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.”

 Don’t put your trust in “princes” or political candidates.  Rather, hope in the Lord.  “Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God.”  It is the God of the Bible who “… made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever. He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The Lord frees the prisoners. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down. The Lord loves the godly. The Lord protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.” (Psalm 146:6-9). 

We do, however, need to pray for our leaders. 1 Timothy 2: 1-4 says, “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.” If you want God to work in other people’s lives pray for them. Even when you don’t agree with the policies they put in place, pray for them.

Proverbs 21:1 tells us that “The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases.” And Romans 13:1 reminds us that “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.” God is in control, and He’s still on His throne. Trust Him with your future and the future of our nation.

Discussion Questions:

1. Where is your confidence today?
2. What can we do this week to increase our confidence in God?

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

What does it mean to depend on God, and do I practice dependency daily? It is faith and confidence in Christ. It seems easier to depend on the Lord when there is a real need in our lives than the little things in life like getting angry in traffic. Dependence on God means we need Him, and we understand that we are unable to accomplish anything of Kingdom significance without Him. 

Reliance on Jesus means we are transformed by what the Lord says and thinks; therefore we can depend on Him for wisdom and insight. Dependence on the Lord deepens our determination to be Christlike. Jeremiah 17:5 says, “This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord.”

Like a branch draws sap from the vine for sustenance, so He energizes us for sustainability. Dependence is a continual connection to Christ that results in holiness. Pride is purged away, and humility grows in its place. Fear is purged away, and faith grows in its place. Anger is purged away, and forgiveness grows in its place. Hate is purged away, and love grows in its place. We depend on God because we are desperate and detached without Him. Jesus is our source of strength and our hope in hard times.

Dependence starts by acknowledging Almighty God as the owner of everything, and the controller of every circumstance. Nothing is impossible with God, and everything is within His reach. Your part is to trust and obey, and His part is to do the rest. Dependency depends on Him working in and through you. “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10)

You belong to Christ, and you are in His care. Do not let fears or worry paralyze you in following Him. Be in constant prayer, always yielding your thoughts, motives, and needs to the Lord. Trust His plans for you, and surrender your own plans to Him. “…the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters,  I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty,  you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” (Isaiah 43:1-2).

When we find strength in God, we are not simply sending out requests for God to solve our problems and make us feel stronger. Through faith in Christ, we can know God personally.  Dwelling in us, the Spirit is our ever-present counselor, comforter, companion, and advocate. We are not alone. God is with us as Isaiah 41:10 points out: “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

We will inevitably struggle in heart, body, mind, or community, and so our ultimate reliance on God is demonstrated through daily embracing His undeserved grace and never-failing love.

Discussion Questions:

1. God’s power comes abundantly to those who humbly rely on Him. What does that look like in daily life? 
2. What areas in our life do we need to surrender to Christ? 

“Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” – Matthew 16:23

Ask yourself this question: Does prayer set the agenda for your life? And if so, who’s agenda is it?

The Bible tells us that while rebuking Peter, Jesus said, “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” (Matthew 16:23). In other words, Jesus was telling Peter that he was not pursuing God’s agenda in that particular situation. Peter was not thinking God’s thoughts but man’s. He did not seem to accept or understand the need for Jesus to die on the cross. I’m sure Peter thought that he was doing the right thing, but he wasn’t. 

God will invite you to change your plans for His. His plans require faith and obedience and initially God’s plan is exhilarating. But typically, the journey begins to look and feel different than we imagined. The road is filled with more potholes than we expected and God did seem to be leading us in a direction we didn’t expect. You don’t doubt God’s presence, but you question His plans. Your enthusiasm wanes and your confidence falters. That is when we start to evaluate our agenda over God’s. 

But if we think about that for a second, you will realize some undeniable truths. A God of infinite majesty can’t be measured. A God who unleashes miracles can’t be contained. A God whose love is eternal can’t be explained. God sees more than we can see, knows more than we know, and works beyond our comprehension. So if we agree to follow Him only when we understand what He’s doing, we’ll always stop short of experiencing His indescribable wonders. So we can go it alone or let God engineer and direct the agenda of our lives. We may not know how He does it, but we know this: It will be wondrous just like He is.

Living for the Lord Jesus Christ, and serving Him, is not an item that we try to fit into our priorities. It is the one supremely important agenda item of our lives and should shape and mold and drive and influence and determine what we do in every other sphere of our lives.

God has a good plan for your life. He wants to help you follow that plan. But first, you must choose to follow His agenda, not your own. You must choose to trust in His strength, not your own ability.  Praying through every decision, listening to His voice, and leaning upon His wisdom will enable you to determine and then follow God’s agenda. 

Discussion Questions:

1. Evaluate yourself. What part of your agenda is driven by God and what percentage is driven by you?
2. What is the difference between seeking the “plans” God may have for us and simply seeking Him?
3. What could be practically done to ensure that you seek God’s agenda in the next three weeks?

“Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods.He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains. The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land, too. Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,” – Psalm 96:1-6. 

Praise is an essential part of worshipping God. We don’t approach our heavenly Father only to ask more of Him, but also to remember not only what He has already given us, but also Who He is. We praise Him simply for being God, our faithful Father, our loving Creator, our righteous King. Warren Wiersbe says that “Worship is the believer’s response of all that they are – mind, emotions, will, body – to what God is and says and does.” 

Worship comes from within the heart and is expressed out of a heart of love to Jesus because He loved us first. Worship is not limited to a music style or genre, or tradition. It is not based on where one worships. It comes from the heart and it’s all about Jesus.  One of the best Biblical examples of worship is David. 

David made worship a priority. Even as a young man, the Lord was with him. He had a heart after God’s own heart. “But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.” (1 Samuel 13:14) Samuel tells Saul that his lack of obedience cost him the kingship. Having a “heart after God’s own heart” is tied to obedience. This idea is repeated in Acts: “But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.” (Acts 13:22)  

In Psalm 96 David makes a list of all of the things that the Lord does for us. He forgives your sins, and He heals your diseases. He redeems your life and crowns you with love and compassion. And then, David reminds us who the Lord is. He is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and overflowing with love for all of us. Reading David’s instruction manual on praise will help you understand how to worship our all-powerful, all-loving, all-knowing heavenly Father. 

One way to engage in worship is to begin by opening our hearts and asking the Holy Spirit to help us receive God’s love for us. Read a Psalm or a part of the gospel that will remind you of how much God loves you. Ask God to speak to you and pour His love out on you.  

For David, worship was a natural reflex, and in a way, as vital as breathing. His example can help all of us grow in both our worship and faith lives.

Discussion Questions:

1. What exactly is worship and why do we do it?
2. What can we do this week to improve the level of our worship? 

We live life enjoyably and effectively only when we are connected with God. – Glenn C. Stewart. 

A personal relationship with God is just like a relationship with anyone else in your life. It is fellowship, love, and trust between you and Him. It means to know Him and to be known by Him. It’s much more than just going to church or even reading our Bibles. We were created for relationship with God. In fact, it’s our primary purpose in life. You may have known about God all your life through church and your Christian community, but connecting with Him on an intimate level is different. 

One of the most important ways to grow your relationship with Him is to be serious about intentional communication. No relationship succeeds without communication and our relationship with God is no exception. Our expectation is that spending time with God will be an emotional and spiritual high. It may not always be that exciting, but every conversation with your spouse is not exciting all the time but it is necessary and meaningful for those relationships to grow. Quiet time, praying, and studying the Bible may not always be exciting, but it’s the building block to a better connection with God.  

The good news is we can pray or simply talk to God no matter where we are. Scripture tells us to “pray continually?” This suggests a prayer mindset and the connection to God should be active all day. So, when you have a tough situation going on in your life, talk to God, seek his guidance. Our relationship with others is important for developing our relationship with God. “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” (Proverbs 27:17) We need each other. Learning and growing together with like-minded Christians help us to grow closer to God.

Finally, if we want a personal relationship with God, we need to learn how to depend on Him. We all want to be self-reliant, to have the outcomes of our lives in our hands. That is why we need to learn to depend on God;  praying and asking Him for guidance before making a decision, asking Him to be with us throughout the day, or asking Him to give us wisdom in our day-to-day interactions. Depending on God is crucial for developing a strong relationship with Him. 

Developing a real connection with God is a process. It won’t happen all at once and sometimes you’ll think your relationship with Him is strong one day and the next day you may wonder if He’s even there. But, that’s a part of the journey. Like any relationship, a relationship with God is complex. You’ll learn more about Him and encounter Him in a deeper, more meaningful way as you go along. As you draw closer to Him, He’ll reveal more of himself to you and teach you more about what He is like. 

My prayer is that you experienced a small group that strengthened your faith and closeness to God. If not, I encourage you to join one. Otherwise, you will never know just how much a relationship with Christians around you might strengthen your own personal relationship with God.

Discussion Questions:

1. Does connecting to God help you connect with other people?
2. What can we do this week to better connect with God?