Category Archives: Pulled 4

Pulled out of the Pit
My life story based on Psalm 40:1-4
Part 4

APPENDIX 4 OUT OF A SUITCASE AND INTO ALL THE WORLD PART 2

Pulled 4

OUT OF A SUITCASE INTO ALL THE WORLD

Part 2 – Reflections and Applications

Psalm 40:5
“Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done, and Your thoughts which are toward us; they cannot be recounted in order to You; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.”

Out of a suitcase and into all the world – Part 2

Language is one of the great barriers to the spread of the gospel. Now God has allowed us to have this remarkable gift of AI. Yes, I believe it can be seen as God’s gift. Through it, sermons in English can now be translated into many languages.

This story is not my story, and I do not write it to glorify myself. It is all for the glory of God—how He takes a broken vessel, restores it, and then uses it to reach thousands of people around the world.

What started as a few tapes in a suitcase has now spread around the world. It is my greatest privilege to be a son of the King. Even more than that, I am His servant, and He is the One who does all these amazing things.

I have no formal Bible college experience. The Lord gives me His words; it is the Holy Spirit who opens the Word of God to me. I have been privileged to sit under several anointed pastors, such as David Green, Richard Scholes, and Mark Johnstone.

Many people reading this may think they are too small or insignificant to be used by God.

I am small and insignificant—but God used me, and He can use you as well.

It is not because I am anything. But my God is everything.

Please do not sit on your hands. Get involved in God’s work. Let Him use you. Seek Him and ask, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”

This may cost you. When I had my own tape library, I bought the tapes and people borrowed them. Service for God will cost you—it may cost money, time, or even your reputation.

The Word of God is precious. To the believer, it is like a gold nugget—more precious than gold and sweeter than honey. Amen.

The Word of God is the greatest agent of change in the world. It is a sharp sword that transforms the heart.

Hebrews 4:12
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

To my Chinese friends: you now have the opportunity to listen to English sermons translated by AI into your own language. My prayer is that these resources will be used to glorify our beautiful and wonderful Redeemer and Lord.

Acts 2:7–12
“And they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans?
And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What does this mean?”

On the day of Pentecost, the people said they could hear the wonderful works of God in their own language. It is my passion in “Reach and Teach Devotions” to share in both English and Chinese, so that the gospel can be heard by as many people as possible.

MY MOTTO IS: THE WHOLE GOSPEL FOR THE WHOLE WORLD
AND
THE WHOLE GOSPEL FOR EVERYONE IN CHINA

The WORD goes out.
The WORK goes on.
The WITNESS goes forth.

Onward and upward, my friends.

Be inspired.

God bless you, my beloved friends, for allowing me to share my heart.

Your friend,
Keith

In the story of SermonAudio, the founder Steven Lee was inspired by seeing tapes of sermons lying in a cupboard. I share the same passion. I started my tape library partly because I saw unused tapes in a cupboard.

APPENDIX 3 OUT OF A SUITCASE AND INTO ALL THE WORLD PART 1

Pulled 4

OUT OF A SUITCASE AND INTO ALL THE WORLD – Part 1

The Story of Reach and Teach Devotions

Romans 10:17
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Romans 1:16
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

Zechariah 4:10
“For who has despised the day of small things? For they shall rejoice and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.”

Habakkuk 2:14
“For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”

So why do I share what I do?

The Lord has brought me a long way.

When God saved me, it was just before my 16th birthday. To be honest, I was a hopeless case—the laughingstock of my school, someone who stammered and struggled to speak clearly through life.

I was bullied incessantly at school. Did I deserve it? I certainly asked for some of it, as I tried too hard to impress everyone.

So I was converted to Christ, but I wondered: how could God ever use this poor, stammering, tongue-twisted young man?

I always wanted to be at the front. I saw people reading the Bible in church and, even more daunting, preaching.

Some of my friends were already preaching, and I thought, “Why not me?” Keith would shout that out often. Keith has since preached—but that is not his main gift.

As I grew, I started attending the Keswick Convention, about 60 miles from my home in Morecambe, UK. There I developed a deep love for preaching. I was greatly impacted by a sermon from Eric Alexander on 1 Peter 1 about biblical holiness.

The meetings at Keswick were recorded on cassette tapes and were relatively cheap, so I bought many of them and listened to them on my car stereo on the way to work… this really dates me—haha.

A good friend suggested I start a tape library for the local Christian young people’s group, which then grew into a church tape library. I began by storing them in a small tartan suitcase—much to my mother’s disapproval. Later this was replaced by a large brown box that barely fit into my little Mini.

People were blessed—I don’t know how many—but praise God, they were.

Then came my wilderness years from 1986 to 2001. I still had a few tapes at home, but I stopped listening to sermons altogether.

In that sense, I had lost my faith, my ministry—everything seemed gone.

I remember at Keswick on a Friday morning we had a meeting for those committing to the mission field. I went forward many times, thinking the Lord had forgotten it. But He had not.

When I returned to the Lord in 2001, within a few months He helped me to start writing. Remember, this is someone who still longed to preach.

After a rather dry house group meeting on Esther chapters 8–9, I decided to write my first devotional. It was not very good, but people read it, and some were blessed.

So I continued. However, I was later drawn away again, wasting three years in the USA before returning to the UK.

After that, I began writing again. I still remember walking near my home when the Lord impressed on me that I would have a worldwide ministry.

Fast forward to 2011: I now had my own website, and I was receiving visits from all over the world—including some from Nanjing, China (we all know how that ended up).

By this time, I had discovered SermonAudio on the internet and was beginning to listen to many sermons.

When I came to China, that platform became my lifeline, as I was no longer able to attend weekly church sermons—except through my wife translating them for me.

Now I have a small ministry and the privilege of sharing my devotions and writing this book.

Both SermonAudio and JohnKnoxInstitute.org have become precious treasures to me. They have inspired me to dig deeper into Holy Scripture.

I am deeply thankful to some very kind Chinese believers who have translated for me completely free of charge—you know who you are.

Thank you for listening to my story.

APPENDIX 2 MY TESTIMONY PART 2

Pulled 4, TESTIMONY 1

But God… A Story of Amazing Grace

My wilderness years were between 1986 and 2001. Yes, I did go to church on occasion—not the best one, to be honest. I picked up my Bible sometimes and prayed, but not with the same love and fervour I once had.

Something was happening, and the Holy Spirit was speaking. At this time, I was back home with my mum after living away for a long period. I had put all my effort into doing things my way.

I had a computer, and through it I came into contact with a Christian who challenged me to repent and return to God. My response was that although God would forgive, He would never trust me again and would never forget my sin.

I remember one day being in my bedroom when I broke down in tears. The Lord restored me. He is truly the God of the second chance, and I was a prodigal who had come home.

I found a church and settled there, but my computer became my enemy. I was drawn away by my own lusts and the devil, and I formed a friendship with a so-called female “pastor” in the USA. Being very foolish, I moved there in 2004 and got married, losing not only my testimony but also my mother, the respect of my family, and nearly my life. The three years spent in America were a sobering experience. I blame no one but myself, but again God was gracious and merciful, giving me mercy and grace I did not deserve.

Thankfully, I was able to spend three months with my brother in Canada, taking time to restore my relationship with him and, most importantly, with the Lord. I then returned to the UK and went back to my old church. They looked shocked when I arrived, and I heard many say, “I told you so.”

Over the next four years, the Lord restored me. I thought that was the end of my story, but God had another surprise for me. I believed I would never move again. Relationships took a back seat, and after another painful disappointment I said to the Lord, “No relationships and no internet relationships ever again, Lord.”

The summer of 2011 was a time of deep fellowship between me and the Lord. I spent many hours in prayer. Fellowship with Him was sweet, and I also had a website that was receiving visits from all over the world, including Nanjing, China. China… that was amazing, but I did not think much of it at the time.

I had an old email account, so I decided to move to Gmail and informed a few contacts on Hotmail that I was changing addresses, never expecting a reply.

But I did receive one—from a lady in China. She did not know whether I was a brother or sister in the Lord, or even a strange person. I assumed she was simply someone who had visited the website and thought, “That’s interesting—she wants to be friends. Wow, a Chinese friend!”

During the summer of 2011, something began to develop. I did not hear from my friend for a few weeks, but then she asked to Skype. I thought, “Okay… we can see what each other looks like, and that will probably end this.”

Instead, we found ourselves chatting every day. Something was happening. I remember thinking, “No, Lord… are You serious?”

We all know how the story ended.

As autumn came, things moved quickly. Our friendship deepened, and on 1 October the Lord spoke clearly to Helen that I was to be her husband. The following Tuesday, He spoke to me that she was to be my wife. I remember it clearly—it was early morning, and His word was direct and unmistakable.

At that time, I had just moved into my caravan and was settled. I wondered what my family would think. My niece reacted strongly, and my brother did not speak to me for two weeks. Everything became increasingly clear, and as we both prayed and sought the Lord, He confirmed it further. Obstacles were removed.

I bought a ticket to China on 29 February 2012. I travelled in June, lost my luggage (though thankfully I had tag and tracking, and it was found), and I was the last person off the plane. Helen must have thought I was not coming—but we met, and everything changed forever.

We became engaged in China, and I returned to the UK after a month. My static caravan had to be sold, along with my furniture, which the Lord graciously provided for.

Now I live in China. Life here is not easy, and the language remains a mystery to me. But I am thankful for my two wonderful girls—my dear wife and our precious daughter.

But God is my story.

I was dead—not just sick, but spiritually dead. I had no hope. Spiritually, we are not merely weak—we are dead in rebellion against God and His ways, lost to His grace and truth, and under His judgment.

I could do nothing to save myself. That is true for all of us. We are spiritually dead, and it takes God to intervene and bring spiritual life.

Someone once said it is all about grace—amazing grace:

G – God’s
R – Riches
A – At
C – Christ’s
E – Expense

I have been saved by God’s grace. It is all about His amazing grace. God intervened in my life. But God… because of this, I have been redeemed.

I have nothing to offer God except my sin. What He offered me was His love, mercy, and grace—all completely undeserved.

I pray that what I have shared will be used by God to open someone’s eyes to the Saviour I love and treasure, and to His finished work on the cross. Because of this, I can sing:

Amazing Grace

1
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
was blind, but now I see.

2
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed!

3
Through many dangers, toils, and snares
I have already come;
’tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.

4
The Lord has promised good to me;
His Word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
as long as life endures.

5
Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
a life of joy and peace.

APPENDIX 1 MY TESTIMONY PART 1

Pulled 4, TESTIMONY 1

My Testimony – Keith Hobkirk 

“But God”… a story of Amazing Grace 

Ephesians 2 

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

I pray that my testimony touches your heart! My name is Keith, but everyone knows me as KK. The first thing to say is that I am just an ordinary person; I am not a pastor; I have no special gifts or abilities: I am what I am because God has showered His grace upon me. 

Well, I had better start at the beginning. I was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, U.K., and then lived most of my life in Morecambe, a beautiful seaside town on the Lancashire coast. My childhood was difficult. My parents were great, but they were consumed with work and as I spent much time on my own, I gained a very rebellious and angry streak from an early age. I was a very troubled and restless child… I craved attention. My parents tried everything, I had serious issues relating to a childhood stammer, which led to bullying. I was in and out of speech therapy/relaxation classes.

(I was) Sent to Sunday school, I listened to the stories of Jesus and thought that they were just stories. My favourite hymn was “There was a Green Hill Far Away”. This hymn said that He died to save us all. “Great,” I thought, “Jesus died – I can live as I want.”

I was in the church; I even did the collection for upstairs at the church. Sad to say, I was a Judas– not just from the church, but from my parents. By the age of 14, I was placed in the lowest class at school; I was a very nasty and angry person; a sinner who had all the appearance of a good person, but was a devil on the inside. . . in all my churchgoing, I have never heard the true Gospel that Jesus saves personally.

At school, I was known as trouble; teachers thought I had no hope, but my parents didn’t give up– they fought for me to be placed in a higher class. They finally got their wish and I was placed in Class 4S, along with two very special people, both whom are close friends today, David and Andrew, the person whom God used to bring me to faith.

As I said, I was trouble at school: if there was trouble in class, it usually revolved around me; Keith had said or done something to upset them. Well, I created havoc in class, tormenting virtually everyone: I was a mixture of Dennis the Menace and Homer Simpson, loveable and dumb but just a pain in the bum: well. . . except for Andrew.

Everything I tried to do to him, it didn’t upset him at all! What is it with this guy? Why is he so calm? OK, he’s a Christian; well, so am I! I go to church, so what’s the big deal? Also, we had R.E. (Religious Education) in our school, led by Mr Curnow. I just sat the back of the class and mocked him. He said at the end of the class, “Jesus loves you and is the Answer!” “What?” I thought, “Why doesn’t he tell it to us through all the class, if Jesus is so good?” Many years later I had the pleasure of meeting him and his wife, who was my French teacher; also, my history teacher, Mr Waterhouse, who were all Believers– the ones I had mocked were Christians.

Andrew was getting under my skin; he invited me to these meetings, and on a Saturday night! “What, you go to these Bible meetings on a Saturday? You are a fanatic, man!” One day he invited me: and to be honest, just to stop him asking me, I said “OK, but look, I have to be home by 10, the football is on.”

So, on Saturday, the 15th of February, I set out to Moorlands Gospel Hall in Lancaster. Meeting me at the bus station, we made our way to the meeting. It was different to everything I had ever been to: this was lively, hymns were sung truly and powerfully, people stood up and told how Jesus had changed their lives, and finally Victor Jack (an evangelist) stood up and preached. He said “If Jesus came tonight, where would you spend eternity? You are a guilty sinner, condemned by your sin; but Jesus has provided salvation through the Cross.” For the first time I had heard the true Gospel. Victor said he was going into a side room, anyone who would like to talk with him, please do so. I remember closing my eyes– the curtain was raised; the light went on! I turned to Andrew, “I want to go into that room!” I got there first, just before someone else; this was something I just had to do. Victor took me through “Journey into Life” (tract by Norman Warren). I said the prayer, and trusted Christ. My prayer was sincere. Something happened that night– something life changing! Thanks, Andrew and Victor!


I remember going home: I shouted out in glee, “I’ve become a Christian!” My parents weren’t impressed. “It will wear off,” they said. My form teacher had said to Andrew, “Keith will never get saved.” Things did change. I went to church and got baptised, but still had many problems. . . but I knew something had happened– I had new affections and new interests; I loved reading the Bible and praying.

For the first 10 years of my Faith walk I went up and down, but I still made progress. But I was now to enter the “wilderness years”. For nearly 15 years from 1986-2001, I went off the rails completely. Not terrible sin, but just rebellion and disobedience: no prayer, no church, living in the world; yet through all that time God Who had saved me, held me.

He was drawing me back to himself. 

During my wilderness years, I saw many things and met many people, I wish I hadn’t. My life was apart from God, I was out of work, depressed and very alone. During that time, I thought about suicide and was on anti-depressants, Ciprail 15mg, eventually I was able to stop taking them, but it took time and prayer.

I was and am a modern-day prodigal, one more thing I saw.

On the 11th May 1985, I sat in the stand at my home town football ground (Bradford City), a fire broke out in the stand where I was sitting (right behind me). Five minutes earlier, something had stopped me going to the toilet at the back of the stand, it was God preventing me, if I had gone, then I would have been trapped by the fire, again it was the hand of God on my life.

I do not tell you these things to make you think, look at Keith, but to let you know that Christ is everything, he is faithful, despite me, despite my failings. He is and always will be ..MY LORD AND MY GOD.

CHAPTER 35

Pulled 4

Circumcision Without Hands

Colossians 2:11
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

Recently I had a circumcision procedure done. The foreskin was removed. I did not have it done for religious reasons, but because I had an infection that was causing the skin to stick together.

Circumcision in the Bible was instituted as a sign to identify the people of God. The Jewish people place great importance on this practice; every male child is circumcised before the age of one year. Even Jesus was circumcised.

Romans 2:25–29; 3:1–4; 4:9–12

These passages outline what circumcision is. It is part of the Mosaic Law and is not necessary for salvation.

It cannot and does not save a person. It is like going to church or giving to charity—although these things are good in themselves, they do not bring salvation.

Scriptural passages that support this include:

1 Corinthians 7:19
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God.

Galatians 5:6
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith which works through love.

Galatians 6:15
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.

Philippians 3:3
For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

My circumcision does not change anything in my relationship with God.

Devotional Thought

Colossians 2:11
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

It is good to have had the physical procedure done, although while the surgeon was cutting the skin, my reaction was evidence that it was quite painful.

As a Christian, I have also received the circumcision made without hands when I came to faith many years ago.

I was given a new heart and a new nature:

Ezekiel 36:25–27
25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you.
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them.

I was also sealed with the Holy Spirit. This is a legal seal of ownership and assurance. When a document is sealed, it is confirmed and binding—so it is with the sealing of God’s Spirit.

We belong to Christ, and He belongs to us, never to be separated.

Romans 8:31–39
2 Corinthians 1:22
Who has also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
Ephesians 1:13
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.

My Question to You:

Have you received a new heart?
Have you experienced the circumcision made without hands?
Have you been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise?

To the Christian, these truths are truly amazing. They should cause us to rejoice.

Christian, rejoice in these things.

CHAPTER 34

Pulled 4

OBTAINED MERCY AND ABUNDANT GRACE

Have you enjoyed this book?

Writing it has been a labour of love for me, but the story is not finished yet.

As I write these words, I am in my 67th year and, Lord willing, I have many more years ahead of me.

Every day, thousands upon thousands of people die and step into eternity, whether they believe in it or not.

I remember Harry in the film When Harry Met Sally, who read the last page of a book first so he would know how it ended, just in case he died before finishing it.

I hope you have read this story from beginning to end.

Every story has a beginning and an ending. My story is not finished yet, although one day it will be.

Yet when my story on earth ends, another story will begin. I know, like Job, that my Redeemer lives.

Job 19:25

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.”

The beloved Apostle Paul, writing to his protégé Timothy, spoke words that describe both me and many of the experiences recorded in this book:

1 Timothy 1:13–16

13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

The words obtained mercy and abundant grace perfectly describe what has happened to me.

I obtained mercy. I did not earn God’s mercy through good works or religious effort. In fact, there was nothing I could do that would ever deserve it.

God’s grace was abundantly and lavishly given to me. I cannot give you one reason why He chose to show such kindness to me, except that it was His will to do so.

Sometimes we receive a gift and think, “Surely there has been a mistake.” But there was no mistake here.

The grace and mercy of God are the two most wonderful realities in my life. They are far beyond my full comprehension.

A true believer never loses their sense of wonder at these things. As the hymn writer expressed it, we are often “lost in wonder, love, and praise.”

The path to salvation leads through the Cross. There is no other way.

Jesus said in John 14:6:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

The path passes by the empty tomb, where death was defeated, and continues along the road travelled by Christian, Faithful, and Hopeful in Pilgrim’s Progress as they journeyed toward the Celestial City.

Like many believers before me, I have been travelling that highway for many years. I have fallen into the Slough of Despond more than once. I have spent time in By-path Meadow and even found myself in Doubting Castle. Yet by God’s grace I remain on the road, looking forward to that heavenly city beyond anything we can imagine.

The hymn Amazing Grace has been precious to me and to millions of other believers throughout the years. Its message reflects my life, my walk with the Lord, and my hope of glory.

The opening words say:

“Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.”

May those words become your testimony as well.

May you obtain mercy and experience the abundant grace of God.

The Lord has been faithful to me throughout every stage of life. He has carried me through dangers, trials, failures, and disappointments. He has forgiven me, restored me, and given me hope for eternity.

One day this earthly journey will end, but His grace will safely bring me home.

May God richly bless you as you seek Him.

KK

CHAPTER 33

Pulled 4

REGRETS

Philippians 3:13–14

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Frank Sinatra once sang:

“Regrets, I’ve had a few, but then again, too few to mention.”

It is perhaps significant that these words come from the song My Way.

I do have some regrets, and I often ask myself why. When I look back, I realise that most of my regrets stem from times when I strayed from my Lord in one way or another.

Some of those regrets include:

  • After my first two years at college, I did not complete my degree.
  • I bought a static caravan and ended up losing a great deal of money on it.
  • I went to America and never saw my mother again.

All of these things have been painful for me. They are scars that have healed over time, but healing has required patience, prayer, and repentance.

Many people develop deep regrets as they grow older. The words “What if?” are words many of us have spoken at one time or another.

The truth is that we all have regrets. We have all taken wrong turns and made choices that have hurt us or others.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

As you look back on your life, you will probably find some regrets, and those memories may still hurt.

But as a Christian, healing is available. True and meaningful healing can come through Christ. While the memories may remain, God can remove the burden and pain that they carry.

The great hope of the Christian is this: not only does Jesus forgive and cleanse our past, but He also gives us hope for the future.

We can press forward toward the prize of knowing Christ in this life, but that is not the end of the story.

We can experience a full and abundant life here on earth, but even more importantly, we have the promise of eternal life. The Christian can look back and see mistakes, failures, and missed opportunities, but they can also see the gracious hand of God guiding and sustaining them.

The Christian understands that life on earth is temporary and will one day come to an end. Yet there is something beyond this life.

There is eternity.

There is hope for everyone who has placed their trust in the finished work of Christ.

As for me, I have no regrets about trusting Christ. It is the best decision I have ever made.

What about you?

CHAPTER 32

Pulled 4

Speech Therapy

Exodus 4:10–12 (KJV)

“And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?
Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.”

I was in and out of speech therapy from the age of six to sixteen. It affected my education greatly, leading to me being placed in the lowest stream at school and losing two terms in Year 4 of secondary school. I also failed my English exam at college because the oral section was too difficult for me.

So how have I reached the point where I am now able to teach and speak normally?

It is all because of God’s grace and constant help. For years, I was unable to communicate effectively and missed out on many jobs because I could not express myself properly in interviews.

I felt different and difficult — like a walking disaster zone, of no use to anyone. I blamed myself, my parents, and everyone around me for the bullying. Yes, sometimes I irritated people, and sometimes I still do.

How do you deal with all the hurt?

I came to Christ just before my sixteenth birthday, completely and totally insecure. But now, at sixty-six years old, I am completely secure, all because of the Lord.

He has forgiven my past and taught me that, since I have been forgiven much, I must truly forgive from the heart those who have hurt me.

My favourite passage in the whole Bible is Ephesians 1:3–14. In these verses is all the security you need. You have been redeemed, sealed, adopted, and loved in every possible way.

Another passage that has been a great help to me is Psalm 139. To know that God loved me even when I was in my mother’s womb brings me great comfort.

God has seen everything I have been through, and He completely understands our deep hurt and all the tears we have shed. He keeps them in a special bottle.

Psalm 56:8 (KJV)

“Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?”

Whether people reject or accept me, I know that my Lord says, “Come unto me.” I do not have to strive for His acceptance.

Matthew 11:28–30 (KJV)

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

He calls me His son — that is a privilege beyond words.

Romans 8:14–18 (KJV)

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

Devotional Thought

Lastly, I am able to pour out my heart to Him, because He completely understands.

Psalm 62:8 (KJV)

“Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.”

You may have gone through trauma in your childhood — whether bullying, sexual abuse, rape, or a physical ailment like mine — but there is healing and refuge in the power of the cross. Come to Jesus and let Him cleanse your past.

There are still marks, flashbacks, and memories, but the pain has gone. Jesus has set me free.

Believe it or not, I am now an English teacher, a writer, and secure in Christ.

I am only these things because I came to the cross, and I continually come to be washed by the precious Word of God, which tells me that I am free from my past and secure not only for today, but for eternity.

Praise His name.

May this help someone.

God bless you.

KK

CHAPTER 31

Pulled 4

CHAPTER 31

MIND YOUR LANGUAGE

Genesis 11:1–9

“And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.” — Genesis 11:1

After the worldwide flood — and yes, it did actually happen — you would have thought mankind had learned its lesson. Yet humanity continued in rebellion against God, so He taught them another lesson by confusing the languages of the world.

Language is a fascinating thing. The language spoken in my adopted country of China is still largely a complete mystery to me, just as English is to millions of Chinese people.

When Helen and I first started dating online, we quickly ran into this language barrier. Helen speaks English very well, as does my daughter Sherry, and my son Peter is learning quickly too.

Let me share a few of the funny things Helen once said to me:

  • “Go and change your skirt” (shirt)
  • “You need to shave off your mosquito” (moustache)
  • “I don’t understand his accident” (accent)

These still make us laugh today.

My pastor kindly bought me a translator, and now I also have a translation app on my phone, so Helen and I can communicate back and forth at the dinner table.

I can manage basic conversations in shops and supermarkets, but detailed discussions are still difficult without these technological tools.

Perhaps Helen’s funniest slip of the tongue came during my first visit to Nanjing. She said, “Look at all the locusts on Xuanwu Lake!” She meant the beautiful lotus plants growing on the water!

My attempts at speaking Chinese still create great amusement whenever I open my mouth — as do the attempts of certain Chinese people speaking English, who shall remain nameless.

Devotional Thought

AI and translation apps have made it possible for people from different countries and languages to communicate in ways never before imagined.

The ability to speak another language is a special gift. I am reminded of one of my spiritual heroes, William Tyndale, the first man to translate the Bible into English directly from the original Hebrew and Greek texts. He spoke seven languages. What an inspiration he is to me.

In Acts chapter 2, the people in Jerusalem heard the Gospel being spoken in their own languages:

“Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.” — Acts 2:6

Today, through modern technology, the Gospel is still going forth across the world.

The Gospel is being preached, and millions are hearing the good news of salvation. More people than ever before now have access to the message of Christ.

Then in Revelation 7, we are given this glorious picture:

“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” — Revelation 7:9–10

Every nation, people group, language, and dialect will be represented there before the throne of God.

Let Me Finish With Two Questions

To My Fellow Believers

What are you doing to reach people with the Gospel?

To Those Who Have Not Yet Trusted Christ

Will you be among those spoken of in Revelation 7:9–10?

The time to trust Christ is now.

Not tomorrow.
Not next week.

You do not even know if you will have those days.

Do not waste another second.

TRUST CHRIST TODAY