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August activities: Week one – let God speak!

Well, it’s August – officially the summer holidays (though after the last few months, does it feel any different?). We know the summer holidays can be pretty fun, but with holidays being cancelled and social restrictions coming and going, we wanted to give you a few things to do with all the time you have – a few things that will help you realise that you can do some incredible things with the time and freedom you have.

So, we devised a nice piece of post to send out to everyone on our mailing list. Inside the envelope are four cards, one to open each week in August including a story, prayers and activities to inspire and challenge you. And if you didn’t get it through your letterbox, don’t panic, you can join in with the activities and fun here…

Firstly, you can download a digital version of this week’s card here to see what it’s like…

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Week one: Let God speak

Week beginning 3 August

Do you own a Bible? Do you think it’s important? In some places, being found with a Bible can mean serious, sometimes deadly, trouble. Yet, many Christians are willing to take huge risks to learn from God’s Word.

In the same way, letting God speak to you through the Bible, his Word, can change your life.

Mojtaba from Iran was arrested because he led a house church. Whilst in prison, he kept asking if he could have a Bible. All the guards said ‘no’ but, amazingly, a Muslim religious leader brought him photocopied pages of the Bible disguised as English lessons. The guards had no idea what the pages were. Mojtaba started translating and copying them for other prisoners. He said, “the best thing was that prisoners were giving their lives to the Jesus of the Bible.”

In North Korea it’s incredibly dangerous to own a Bible. Anyone caught with a Bible is likely to be sent to one of the countries horrific labour camps – some may even be killed. Instead, Christians hide their Bibles, only reading them when it’s absolutely safe to do so. They memorise verses, sometimes creating sock Bibles by writing out verses and hiding them in their socks!

Challenge

• Find a scrap of paper and write out the verses below from Psalm 119.
• Then fold up the scrap of paper and hide it in your sock for the week. When you have a moment, take it out and try to memorise the verses.
• Try choosing other verses to add to your ‘Sock Bible’.

‘How can a young person stay
on the path of purity?
By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.’
Psalm 119:9-11

Want tips on how to memorise the Bible or take this further? Get our innovative ‘Hidden Word’ resource….

Act

Pray for Christians who don’t have access to the Bible – ask that God would help them to know him and for them to be able to get hold of a Bible to help them grow in their faith. And, ask God to speak to you through the Bible this week.

Did you know

At Open Doors, we’re passionate about people having free access to God’s Word. Last year, thanks to your help, Open Doors distributed 1,873,503 Bibles and Christian books in countries where Christians are under pressure! You can help get a Bible into the hands of a persecuted Christian for just £10. Find out more here…