Words for The Wise, No Eye has seen, 1 Corinthians 2 The Voice

1 Corinthians 2 The Voice (VOICE)

2 My brothers and sisters, I did not pose as an expert with all the answers. I did not pretend to explain the mystery of God with eloquent speech and human wisdom. 2 I claimed to know nothing with certainty other than the reality that Jesus is the Anointed One, the Liberating King, who was crucified on our behalf. 3 I was moved to utter despair during my time with you. I would find myself trembling in dread and fear. 4 The sermons I preached were not delivered with the kind of persuasive elegance some have come to expect, but they were effective because I relied on God’s Spirit to demonstrate God’s power. 5 If this were not so, your faith would be based on human wisdom and not the power of God.

Christianity is not merely a set of ideas and propositions. One can agree with all the truths in the Bible and still miss the power of God. Paul knows the brothers and sisters in Corinth might attempt to reduce Christianity to a new philosophy based on human understanding, but the power of God cannot be fully grasped by our eight-pound brains. We must approach God humbly as creations, not as those aspiring to fully explain the Creator of the universe.

6 However, in the presence of mature believers, we do impart true wisdom—not the phony wisdom typical of this rebellious age or of the hostile powers who rule this age. Despite what you may think, these ruling spirits are losing their grip on this world. 7 But we do impart God’s mysterious and hidden wisdom. Before the ages began, God graciously decided to use His wisdom for our glory. 8 This wisdom has not been grasped by the ruling powers of this age; if they had understood, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. 9 But as the Scriptures say,

No eye has ever seen and no ear has ever heard

    and it has never occurred to the human heart

All the things God prepared for those who love Him.[a]

10 God has shown us these profound and startling realities through His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep mysteries of God. 11 Who can see into a man’s heart and know his thoughts? Only the spirit that dwells within the man. In the same way, the thoughts of God are known only by His Spirit. 12 You must know that we have not received the spirit of this rebellious and broken world but the Spirit that comes from God, so that we may experience and comprehend the gifts that come from God. 13 We do not speak of these gifts of God in words shaped by human wisdom; we speak in words crafted by the Spirit because our collective judgment on spiritual matters is accessible to those who have the Spirit. 14 But a person who denies spiritual realities will not accept the things that come through the Spirit of God; they all sound like foolishness to him. He is incapable of grasping them because they are disseminated, discerned, and valued by the Spirit. 15 A person who walks by the Spirit examines everything, sizing it up and seeking out truth. But no one is able to examine or size up that kind of spiritual person, 16 for the Scripture asks, “Does anyone know the mind of the Lord well enough to become His advisor?”[b] But we do possess the mind of the Anointed One.

Dictionary of Bible Themes

7027 church, purpose and mission of

The church is called to praise and glorify God, to establish Jesus Christ’s kingdom, and to proclaim the gospel throughout the world.

God’s purposes for the church

To praise God 1Pe 2:9 See also Eph 1:5-6,11-12,14; Heb 13:15; 1Pe 2:5

To share God’s glory Ro 8:29-30 See also Mt 13:43; Jn 17:24; Ro 9:23; 1Co 2:7; Php 3:21; Col 3:4; 2Th 2:14; Rev 2:26-27; Rev 3:4-5,21

God will build his church Mt 16:18-19 See also Mt 27:40 pp Mk 15:29; Jn 2:19-22; 1Co 3:9; Eph 2:21-22; Eph 4:11-13; Heb 3:3-6; 1Pe 2:5

To challenge Satan’s dominion Eph 3:10-11 “rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms” refers to the powers of evil. See also Mt 16:18; Eph 6:12; 1Jn 2:14

To go into the world in mission 2Co 5:18 See also Mt 5:13-16; Mt 28:19-20; Mk 16:15; Lk 24:48; Jn 20:21; Ac 1:8; Php 2:15-16; Col 1:27

The church’s mission

To preach the gospel to the world Mk 13:10 pp Mt 24:14 See also Mt 28:19; Lk 24:47; Jn 10:16; Ac 13:47

To do good to all Gal 6:10 See also Mt 25:37-40; Lk 6:35; Ac 9:36; Eph 2:10; 1Ti 6:18; Jas 1:27; 1Pe 2:12

Images of the church’s mission Mt 5:13-16; Jn 15:5-8 A fruitful plant in a fruitless world: Mt 7:18-19; Ro 7:4; Eph 5:9-10; Php 1:11; Col 1:6,10; Jas 3:17 Salt in an insipid world: Mk 9:50; Lk 14:34-35 Light in a dark world: Ro 13:12-14; Eph 5:8; Php 2:15; 1Th 5:5-6

The growth of the church

Numerical growth among the first Christians Ac 11:21 See also Ac 2:41,47; Ac 4:4; Ac 5:14; Ac 6:1,7; Ac 9:31,42; Ac 11:24; Ac 12:24; Ac 13:49; Ac 16:5; Ac 17:4; Ac 18:8; Ac 19:20

The church is to grow to maturity Eph 4:12-13 See also Php 1:6; Php 3:13-15; 2Th 1:3

Aspects of growth Growth in character: 2Co 9:10; 1Th 3:12 Growth into Christ: Eph 4:15; Col 1:10; 2Pe 3:18

Heb 6:1 growth in understanding

Prayers for the growth of the church Eph 3:14-19 See also Eph 1:17-19; Php 1:9-11; Col 1:9-12; 1Th 3:11-13; 2Th 1:11-12

Visions of the church’s final destiny

Rev 7:9-10 John’s vision of the church in glory. See also Mt 24:31; Jn 10:16; Eph 1:10; 1Th 4:16-17; Heb 12:22-23; Rev 21:2

The Bible Panorama

1 Corinthians 2

V 1–5: RESOLVE Paul’s determined resolve in preaching to the Corinthians is never to parade his excellent vocabulary or wisdom, but to concentrate solely on ‘Jesus Christ and Him crucified’. He admits that he feels his great weakness, fear, and trembling and that it is not human wisdom or persuasion that gives power to the message, but the Holy Spirit, as he concentrates on the message of the cross, the true preaching of which always is accompanied by God’s power to save.

V 6–10: REVELATION God’s revealed wisdom is shared with those who are spiritually mature. The world has rejected this wisdom and this is why ‘the Lord of glory’, the Lord Jesus Christ, was crucified. But, through His Spirit, God has revealed the truths of His word and the blessings He has prepared for His redeemed people. The same Holy Spirit, who reveals the word of God, is at work in the hearts of men to reveal to them their sin and need for this gospel of Christ crucified.

 V 11–15: RECEPTION The Christian has received ‘the Spirit who is from God’ who teaches him both the truth about God and the truth about himself, underlines his need, and intensifies his desire for God’s revelation through His word. The unconverted man (the ‘natural man’) cannot understand these things, because they are spiritually discerned and only become real to a person who has turned from sin and received the Holy Spirit by faith in Christ. God’s enlightenment follows the receiving of the Holy Spirit in conversion.

 V 16: RÉSUMÉ No one can have God’s mind unless he or she has been converted. The simplest person who trusts Christ, through grace, receives ‘the mind of Christ’ within through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

"Immeasurably More" from Rend Collective (OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO)

Mark Driscoll's Books Yanked From Baptist's LifeWay Stores, Charisma Magazine

The nation's second-largest Christian book retailer has pulled megachurch pastor Mark Driscoll's books from its website and 186 stores.

Leaders at the Southern Baptist Convention's LifeWay Christian Resources informed stores on Friday to stop selling books by the Seattle pastor who has been in hot water.

Last week, leaders of the church-planting network Acts 29 removed Driscoll and his churches from the group he helped found and asked that he "step down from ministry for an extended time and seek help."

Driscoll has been an influential but edgy pastor within conservative evangelical circles for several years. His Mars Hill Church, based in Seattle, attracts some 14,000 people at 15 locations across five states. He has been provocative, occasionally profane and has faced allegations of plagiarism and inflating book sales.

The mushrooming set of allegations led the publishing arm to suspend sales while it "monitors the developments of his ministry," said LifeWay media-relations manager Marty King.

"It was a cumulative effect," King said. "The Acts 29 leadership asking him to step down was certainly a part of that."

At the time of the decision, LifeWay's stores were selling just one of Driscoll's titles, A Call to Resurgence, King said.

A spokesperson for Mars Hill did not respond to LifeWay's decision

Read more here:

Elim Missions, Iraq Appeal

MANY WILL HAVE SEEN NEWS REPORTS ABOUT THE TREATMENT OF CHRISTIANS IN IRAQ BY THE MILITANT GROUP ISIS. WE STAND ALONGSIDE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN IRAQ, PRAYING FOR GOD’S PROTECTION AND STRENGTH TO BE WITH THEM.

A statement by CSW, our partners for persecuted Christians, says: “We are deeply saddened by the appalling treatment of the Christians in Mosul, which clearly constitutes religious cleansing. We are also concerned at news that Turkoman, Yazidi and Shabak Iraqis are facing abductions, murder and the destruction of property in areas controlled by IS. Despite its religious pretensions, the so called Caliphate is no different from the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. It has enacted its own “Year Zero” by erasing every ancient monument or community that predates its own. Whilst IS can destroy buildings, seize property and intimidate, humiliate, extort or even kill unarmed civilians, it will ultimately discover that it is impossible to extinguish faith from the human heart through the use of force.”

Join with us in praying and giving to those who are caught up in those horrendous situation.

Follow this Link to donate or for further information

http://www.elimmissions.co.uk/iraqappeal

'We are outnumbered 285-1': Calais police admit they cannot prevent UK migrant surge, Daily Express

FRENCH police today admitted they were "powerless" to prevent thousands of migrants attempting to enter Britain illegally.

The border crisis is now so severe one officer shrugged, saying: "We are overstretched and there is not much we can do."

Experts estimate as many as 12,000 refugees make a bolt for Britain through Calais each year.

Today the Daily Express witnessed chaotic scenes as gangs of vagrants risked their lives attempting to jump on the back of moving freight trucks.

The migrant epidemic is now so bad officials believe at least 30 attempts to make it to the UK as stowaways every day.

The 2,000 who have congregated in the port town from a variety of countries including Syria, Iran, Afghanistan, Eritrea and Ethiopia outnumber police by 285-to-one.

One exasperated officer said the blue line policing the perimeter of the port is so thin border guards are overrun by the migrant tide.

Giving the first detailed account from the front line of the fight, the unnamed officer aid: "There are just two or three patrols - just seven of us maximum - and hundreds of them trying to get to the UK. We are powerless to do anything.

Read more here:

Britain considers sending Chinook helicopters to aid fleeing Yazidi refugees in Iraq as the public swings behind air strikes on rampaging Islamic State fighters, Daily Mail

  Ministers are considering deploying top-of-the-range Chinook helicopters

  Tornado fighter jets are also on their way to the region to help aid effort

  Three aid drops have been carried out - one on Saturday and two last night

  A mission had to be aborted on Sunday as too many refugees crowded plane

  Poll shows narrow public support for air strikes on ISIS fighters in Iraq

  David Cameron is still on holiday in Portugal and Nick Clegg is in Spain

Britain is considering sending Chinook helicopters to Iraq, as the Government rapidly ramps up its response to the sweeping advance of Islamist extremist threatening to massacre thousands of non-Muslims.

The military helicopters, which could be used to rescue Yazidi refugees trapped on Mount Sinjar after fleeing rampaging Islamic State fighters, would join two RAF C130 Hercules planes already carrying out aid drops.

A squadron of six to eight Tornado jets are also on their way to the region amid growing alarm over the plight of up to a quarter of a million people trapped in northern Iraq.

The proposal to send the Chinook helicopters was being discussed in a meeting of Government’s emergency Cobra committee this afternoon.

The meeting was chaired by the Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, with David Cameron still on holiday in Portugal and the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg with his family in Spain.

Defence sources said the helicopters could be sent to the region in case they were needed at short notice.

The RAF Hercules and Tornado aircraft are flying aid missions from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, but the Chinooks may need to operate from a much closer base.

Up to a quarter of a million people have fled the advances of Islamic State fighters who crossed the border from Syria to create an Islamic ‘Caliphate’ stretching across the region.

Iraqi Christians and members of the Yazidi sect have been given an ultimatum to convert to Islam or die. 

Read more here:

Peter Jones: Independence or the pound - which?. The Scotsman by Peter Jones

WHEN POLITICIANS accuse each other of desperation and panic, I tend not to listen, reckoning that it is the usual campaign hyperbole that tries to turn a minor slip of the tongue into a monumental credibility-destroying gaffe.

But I begin to think that it is an accusation that can be fairly levelled at Alex Salmond over the currency issue in this referendum.

There are certain tools that can be used to make the political equivalent of a clinical diagnosis of desperation. One is whether the arguments being used to shore up a position that has come under attack are robust or fatuous. And Mr Salmond is now making claims which, under any serious inspection, are complete nonsense.

In an article in a Sunday newspaper, he wrote that Labour leader Ed Miliband’s “hasty gambit to include a block on Scotland’s continued use of the pound in Labour’s next Westminster manifesto” would be “saying to Scots ‘I will defy the sovereign wish of the people in a referendum’”.

On umpteen grounds, this is gibberish. Actually, the only sovereign wish that will be expressed in the referendum will be the answer to the question: “Should Scotland be an independent country?” If it is Yes, the sovereign will of the people will be that Scotland becomes independent.

If Mr Miliband said he would prevent Scotland from becoming independent, then that would certainly defy Scotland’s sovereign will. But he isn’t saying that at all. He is saying that Scotland can be an independent country if that’s what people want, but they won’t get a sterling currency union.

Read more here:

Further Reading:

Beyond the Scottish Independence Question, Looking at a Greater Devolution in The United Kingdom, A Perspective,

Promise of £348m shipyard contract for No vote

Independence issues: Financial, economy & currency

Discipleship is the Key, Thought for the Day

"Key to the mission of the Church is not “evangelism” but discipleship. We are not to evangelize and colonize the world, but to influence our neighbors, co-workers, and relatives in such a way that they pattern their life and lifestyle after Jesus. Our goal as the presence of Jesus in the world is to influence people to follow Him as Messiah, Rescuer, and Restorer. Of course, in this process we will proclaim, explain, and bear witness to the amazing, (un)offensive news that is found in Jesus and His teachings. The mission of the ekklesia, though, is to step into people’s lives and show them a better way of living and being human through Jesus. We are not simply to talk at them about their sin, Jesus’ death and resurrection, and possible heavenly bliss (or other place) after they die." Jeremy Bouma

Read more here:

Number of Scottish people who described themselves as British on the increase as campaign for independence turns off voters. Daily Mail

  Survey finds number of people saying they are British has increased to 23%

  The Scottish Social Attitudes study revealed that the figure was 15% in 2011

  Those who describe themselves as Scottish has dropped from 75 to 65% 

  Figures come five weeks before Scottish independence vote in September 

More people in Scotland are describing themselves as British - and fewer as Scottish - as the campaign for independence turns off voters.

The Scottish Social Attitudes survey found that the number of people who say they are British has increased from 15 per cent in 2011 to 23 per cent, while those who say they are Scottish has dropped from 75 to 65 per cent.

The rekindling of a sense of British identity is the latest blow to Alex Salmond’s independence bid, just five weeks before the referendum on September 18.

It appears to be most pronounced in women, just 27 per cent of whom back separation, compared to 39 per cent of men. This 12 point gap between the sexes is double that of 2013.

The First Minister was routed in a TV debate against former chancellor Alistair Darling last Tuesday and has been struggling to turn around opinion polls that predict Scots will vote against breaking up the UK.

When respondents to the survey were presented with a range of options from ‘Scottish, not British’ to ‘British, not Scottish’, the most popular choice was ‘equally Scottish and British’ (32 per cent) – its highest level since 1999.

The number of people who said they were ‘British, not Scottish’, fell to 23 per cent, its lowest level in 15 years.

The annual survey of 1,339 people saw a small increase in support for independence in the last year, from 36 per cent to 39 per cent, but revealed growing anxiety about how a Yes vote would affect Scotland..

Some 38 per cent fear its voice in world would be weaker – up from a quarter in 2013 and 22 per cent in 2012.

While 44 per cent believe the economy would be worse – up from 34 per cent in both 2013 and 2012.

Mr Salmond’s blokeish attitude has been widely cited as a reason that women have been put off voting for independence.

Read more here:

Further Reading

Beyond the Scottish Independence Question, Looking at a Greater Devolution in The United Kingdom, A Perspective,

British security on alert as migrants aim to ‘live like a king’ in the UK, Daily Express

 More than 2,000 people are now crowded in, most of them ­desperate to reach the UK.

Meanwhile, the deputy mayor of the port wants the French border moved to Dover for one month – to make the British understand the sheer scale of the problem faced by his town every day.

There is such alarm at the growing numbers of migrants using ­Calais as a base to make a bolt across the Channel that a Home Office source said “physical security has been increased and beefed up”.

The tent city is home to those from countries including Syria, Sudan, Iran, Afghanistan, Eritrea, and Ethiopia.

Many fight to stow away on lorries bound for Britain each night. French officials say the town is overrun because the UK is a land where the penniless could “live like kings”.

The word about easy-to-obtain benefits and “paradise” conditions for migrant families has spread to the world’s poorest countries. It is estimated there have been 12,000 attempts to cross the UK border via Calais in the past year.

The lure of a new life across the Channel has seen families live in unimaginable squalor at the camp in woods near the port. Numbers are swelling by the day.

“Why is England so attractive for migrants? In their original countries people are saying that if you go to England you will have everything – a house, money, a job; your family will be able to join you. Right or wrong, it is what is said. They might leave with three pounds but, when they arrive in England they can make £50-a-week on the black market, so they are happy – they are kings.

“The bottleneck here is caused because England is too attractive, too easy. They have nothing to lose – except their lives.”

Inside the camp, men, women and malnourished children live on top of each other in tarpaulin tents with no running water.

The clamour for the front of the queue when the nightly scramble begins to sneak on to lorries bound for England means violent clashes often erupt.

Comment:

We need to secure our borders, and if people want to come and live here, they must be willing to work and integrate into society, rather than expecting a life of freebies

Read more here:

'He made us laugh, he made us cry': Obama leads tributes to Robin Williams as the beloved comic is found dead in apparent suicide at his California home following a long battle against depression , Daily Mail

The legendary comic actor was found dead at his home in Tiburon, California

The Marin County Coroner said the cause of death was believed to be suicide due to asphyxia

An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday on the comedian

His third wife Susan Schneider said: 'I lost my husband and my best friend, the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings'

President Obama said: 'He made us laugh. He made us cry. He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most'

Williams had battled depression for years

He won an Oscar for the 1997 film Good Will Hunting

President Obama has led the tributes to Robin Williams after the comic genius was found dead aged 63 from an apparent suicide in his home, police in California said on Monday night.

Praising the Oscar winning actor's versatility, the president issued a touching statement, speaking volumes for the comedian and his huge impact on American culture throughout the past 35-years.

'Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan and everything in between. But he was one of a kind. He arrived in our lives as an alien - but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit.

'He made us laugh. He made us cry. He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most - from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets. The Obama family offers our condolences to Robin's family, his friends, and everyone who found their voice and their verse thanks to Robin Williams.'

And in the wake of the Oscar-winning actor's tragic death on Monday, Zelda Williams has tweeted a poignant quote about her loss.

She posted a exerpt from Antoine De Saint-Exupery's novella The Little Prince which read: 'You - you alone will have the stars as no one else has them... In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars were laughing, when you look at the sky at night... You - only you will have stars that can laugh.'

She finished the post with the words: 'I love you. I miss you. I'll try to keep looking up, Z.'

Comment:

I was saddened this morning,  to hear of the tragic alleged suicide of the Comic genuius and talented actor Robin Williams,  to me and many people Robin Williams will always be known as Mork from Mork and Mindy,  his many films and tv apperances from comedy roles to more serious and sometimes darker acting roles from one hour photo to Law and Order Svu,  were thought provoking  and challenging, he made us laugh, he made us cry,  he challenged us with his acting skills, like many he faced challenges and suffered from depression, unfortunately  despite his fame, he took his own life at the relevant young age of 63,  He touched my life though I never  knew him personally, because of his film and tv performances like many I felt I knew up,   he was a great man who tragically took his own life after a battle with depression,  Robin Williams we will miss you.

Top Tories tell PM 'get involved' and launch air strikes to stop ISIS slaughter in Iraq

PRESSURE is mounting on David Cameron to allow Britain to join US air strikes on Islamic militants to stop the brutal ethnic cleansing sweeping Iraq.

As The UK prepared to ramp up its aid mission to help tens of thousands of stricken Iraqis, Boris Johnson became the highest profile politician to publicly call for British military action insisting it’s “time to get involved”.

The London Mayor accused the world of “watching a catastrophe unfold” as ISIS fighters massacre women and children in northern Iraq.

“I am certain that it is time to get involved, and to support the American-led operation,” he said.

“We have to act because this is a humanitarian crisis.”

He was joined by the former head of the army Lord Dannatt who claimed troops may be needed “on the ground” in Iraq to help target air strikes.

The interventions, which pile further pressure on the Prime Minister to return from holiday to deal with the deepening crisis, came after the former head of the Australian army, Peter Leahy, warned it could take '100 years' to defeat the threat from radical Islam.

Professor Leahy, a leading defence and strategic analyst, said the fight against Muslim extremists would be "paid in blood" and would require pre-emptive as well as reactive action.

He said: "We are in the early stages of a war which is likely to last for the rest of the century.

“We must be ready to protect ourselves and, where necessary, act pre-emptively to neutralise the evident threat. Get ready for a long war.”

Read more here:

Comment:

I believe we in the UK,  have several  options in regards into dealing with Isis

·        Supporting the Americans and the Kurdish Peshmerga with Istar ( Intelligence,  Surveillance , Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance) using RAF and Army units such as Reaper Drones, Sentinel R1 and Shadow R1 Aircraft which could be based in Cyprus,  and SAS assets based in theatre this would also include Hercules and C17’s for Air Supply and Voyager’s  for refueling other aircraft.

·        Using SAS and other Special Forces to train the Kurdish Peshmerga and also equipping the Kurdish Peshmerga with better weaponry and vehicles

·        Using Tornado and Typhoon Aircraft for Air Strikes, and Apache Helicopters for Close Air Support plus support units

·        Using all of the above  plus “ boots on the ground “  such as the 3 Commando Brigade, 16 Air Assault Brigade or the Brigade of Gurkha’s plus support  units

Spectator: If Scots Vote NO, Blame Alex Salmond.

Spectator: If Scots Vote NO, Blame Alex Salmond.: There were numerous critics, many of them quite vociferous, of the early part of the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, which was l...

Operation Sealion by Leo McKinstry: A new look at why the Nazis didn't invade Britain, Daily Express

THE Daily Express columnist argues that British ruthlessness, political nous and an uncompromising spirit forced Hitler to dither and finally fail in his planned invasion

England faced one of its tensest ever periods in the summer of 1940. Much of Europe had fallen to Hitler, and it was believed that invasion by the Nazis was imminent.

While Churchill was a popular figure as Prime Minister, there had been several difficult periods, not least the near-annihilation of the British Expeditionary Force at Dunkirk and the loss of virtually all of their equipment.

By rights, Britain should have been invaded and conquered as its neighbours were and German plans were drawn up for such an assault, codenamed Operation Sealion. And yet, standing alone against the German threat, it remained impregnable, and Operation Sealion never took place. Why was this?

In his immaculately researched and gripping work, Leo McKinstry paints a vivid picture of what was happening in England. After the outbreak of hostilities the previous year, an uneasy state of tension had existed, namely the so-called “Phoney War”, in which the country sat ready for action but nothing seemed to happen. All the while, Hitler planned his campaign.

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Crisis in Iraq - five things you can ACTUALLY do to help, Published 08 August 2014 | Martin Saunders Christianity Today

A few weeks ago, I changed my social media profile photo. Like many others, I was responding to the awful situation in Mosul, Iraq, where my fellow Christians are reportedly being forced to convert to Islam, or otherwise being threatened with execution. It was a vague attempt to do something - anything - to help. I was standing in solidarity, if nothing else, and hopefully encouraging others to do the same.

The trouble of standing in solidarity however, is that when it's done from being a laptop screen in a cosy branch of Costa Coffee, it achieves pretty much nothing.

Fast forward a few weeks, and the situation is worse than ever. I don't need to recount here the horrible stories of forced conversions, people starving up mountains and beheaded children.

Here's the thing: we can't stand by while this happens. We just can't. If we call ourselves Christians - or even just human beings - we have to care enough to put down whatever we're doing and take a few minutes to engage.

So what, practically, can we do? I've spent a little while thinking, praying and asking others about that question, and here is a start.

Read more here:

Further Reading

The last Christian flees Mosul as ISIS continues its reign of terror in Iraq

Key Iraqi Christian leader: 'ISIS is worse than Genghis Khan'

The rise of ISIS: how an unknown splinter group came to dominate Iraq

Iraq persecution: The hidden minorities targeted by IS

"Simplicity" from Rend Collective (OFFICIAL LYRIC VIDEO)