In the small fellowship we belong to in England the men take turns leading the services and preaching, as we have no paid pastor (the money goes instead to mission work).   This week it was the turn of one of our members who has had a career in banking and finance.  Here is part of what he said:  ‘We look around us in total despair at the spiritual state of our nation, millions of souls who are at present lost.   We as a nation have turned from God, rejected His word and His law…

‘Things which are unacceptable to God are now part of everyday life: homosexuality, sexual immorality, abortion (we continue to abort 500 babies every day), and this year we hear of abortion on the grounds of gender!  There is adoption by same sex couples, and we hear more and more of the sexual abuse of young girls and also modern day slavery - and the culmination this year in the terrible legislation giving approval to same sex marriage.

‘The law of the land at times supports the rights of homosexuals over those of God fearing and righteous believers.

‘We continue to see the rise of Islam in our nation, with a proliferation of mosques and also Hindu temples.

‘There is false spiritual unity in the nation, with the churches being absorbed into interfaith worship and ecumenism.  The Bible is not read in many churches throughout the land.  Both God’s word and His law have been rejected.  And as it says in the word, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”

‘As we dwell on this litany of evil that has overtaken our nation, it is no surprise that God has given the nation over to its evil desires.

‘It is surely time to seek the Lord and for our churches and individuals to pray and to cry out for God’s righteousness to be poured out on the people of this land that many may come to salvation.

‘Let us humble ourselves and seek his face and pray that in His wrath He will have mercy, not forgetting we should be praying earnestly for the Lord’s speedy return.’