I'm Hicksited

If God loves me, why is life so hard? Why do I have so many problems? In this video we look at six positive reasons as to why God, out of His love for us, might be giving us or allowing us to have hardships in our lives. We will especially look at man born blind and how his trial, despite popular belief, had nothing to do with sin, but everything to do with God's work being revealed through his story and with helping him come to faith in Jesus.Scriptures covered: John 9, James 1:1-4, Romans 5:1-5, 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, Acts 5:40-42.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

Are we loved? It is a question we often ask in times of depression, sadness and hardship. We want to know if someone cares about us or worse, is there any reason someone should care about us. In this video, we begin to answer that question (spoiler alert - the answer is an unequivocal "yes!") by mentioning the three big reasons people do not believe they are loved - their circumstances, evil done to them and evil they did, then by focusing on this question: "Does my difficult life mean I am not loved?"  Verses covered:Luke 16:19-31 (the rich man and Lazarus)1 Timothy 2:1-4 (God wants all to be saved)John 3:14-21 (Jesus is a gift for all)To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

Two of the more puzzling questions regarding how we got the Bible, especially the writings of the New Testament, are "who wrote them" and "how did we get the books that we have?"  The answers aren't as straightforward as one would think.  Still, thanks to the evidence within the Scriptures themselves and to the writings of some of the earliest Christians, we can with confidence know most of the true authors of the books of the Bible. More importantly, we can approach with these writings with trust, that they will lead us to eternal life if followed.  Scriptures covered: Luke 24:44-45.  1 Timothy 5:18.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

We continue our look at the writings of the Bible by examining how others viewed and treated them, especially Jesus Himself when He was tempted by Satan. We will consistently see that the Word of God was seen as authoritative, as truth, and even as basis for proof including the proof that Jesus is the Anointed One, i.e., the Son of God.We will also start looking at which writings should be considered Scripture by first understanding what was Scripture in Jesus' day, then by thinking through Jesus' promise that the Holy Spirit would guide His disciples into all truth. We will also see how Peter referred to Paul's writings as Scripture, and how Paul himself treated them as such. One tangent of discussion: The differences between the baptism of John and the baptism of Jesus, and how the forgiveness of sins is not one of those.Scriptures covered: Matthew 4:1-14.  Acts 18:24-28.  John 16:13-15.  2 Peter 3:14-16.  1 Thessalonians 5:27.  Colossians 4:16.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

What are the writings of the Bible? Why are they considered holy? From where did they come?  Today we take a look at how the Scriptures are described as "the word of God", "the word of the Lord". They are writings penned by men who were being guided by the Holy Spirit as they wrote them.  Along the way, we will see how they were treated with absolute respect and authority, how they were regarded as truth even by Jesus Himself. Scriptures covered: 2 Timothy 3:16-17.  2 Peter 1:19-20.  Matthew 22:41-46.  John 10:31-38.  Daniel 9:1-2.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

One of the biggest values in the kingdom of God is humility, the quality of refusing to think oneself as being greater than others. In contrast is pride, where we believe ourselves to be greater than a person or group.  Today we will see how Jesus repeatedly taught that if we exalt ourselves, we will be humbled, but if we humble ourselves, we will be exalted. We will also look at how Jesus taught that to be the greatest in God's kingdom, we need to have the humility of children and strive to be a servant to all as He was a servant to all, dying for us that we might be saved from the punishment of our wrongdoings.  Scriptures covered: Matthew 23:1-12.  Luke 14:7-11.  Luke 18:9-14.  Matthew 18:1-6.  Mark 9:33-37.  Mark 10:35-45.  For further reading: Micah 6:8.  1 Peter 5:5-6. To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

We've been talking about how, in God's kingdom, we have a different world view, a way of seeing various aspects of life often not in line with the rest of the world. It is a view framed by the teachings and ways of God and His Son. That being the case, how then should we view women? Look no further than Jesus who demonstrated time and time again that women were precious to Him. Today we will see Jesus longing to give the Holy Spirit and eternal life to a 5-time-divorced, living-with-a-man woman of a different race. We will see Jesus raise a widow's only son back to life as His heart goes out to her. He will have compassion on and refuse to condemn an adulterous woman under the sentence of death. Jesus will forgive the sins of and comfort a broken-hearted woman of sinful reputation. If Jesus valued women this much, and He did, so should we value, care for, appreciate and genuinely love the women of this world.  Scriptures covered: John 4:1-42.  John 8:1-11.  Luke 7:11-17.  Luke 7:36-50.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

When it comes to understanding how we should view various aspects of life from the perspective of Christ, there may not be a more important topic in this day and age than gender. Gender is no longer being seen as simply male and female. More people than ever it seems struggle with their gender identity and at least consider changing from one to the other. So what does God's Word have to say about gender? We start by looking at the basic questions of how many genders did God make and how does the Bible define gender.  Scriptures covered: Genesis 1:26-31.  Genesis 2:18-25.  Genesis 25:19-27.  1 Samuel 16:14-23, 17:41-51.  Proverbs 31:10-31.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

As followers of Christ and members of God's kingdom, what kind of people should we be? What should we not be? What should we do and not do? What should be important to us what should be unimportant? We look at three passages that answer these exact questions, that detail both the values (the things we should cherish) and anti-values (the things we should reject), as children of God.  Scriptures covered: Acts 10:34-35.  Revelation 14:6-7.  Colossians 3.  Romans 12:9-21.  Galatians 5:16-26 To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

We continue our look at how, as members of God's kingdom, we see and think about the world differently. When it comes to the subject of race, there is no racism in the kingdom of God. Instead we love people of all races, knowing that good news of salvation by faith in Jesus is for all. That may seem like common sense, but even for the apostle Peter, it was a message that God had to go out of His way to teach before Peter could share Jesus with the first Gentile convert, Cornelius. Related Scriptures: John 4, Acts 10 - 11, Revelation 14:6-7.  To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

A Christian law enforcement officer on the front lines of fighting sex trafficking for the past seven years, continues to share about his faith and the insight he has learned when it comes to keeping children safe from child predators. You will learn about his journey from Catholicism to Christ and why we should follow Jesus as well. We will talk about what to do if you think your child has been abducted, what can we do to fight human trafficking, and the role pornography plays in the formation of predators.Questions covered: 00:31 How did your wife help you get to know Jesus? How did you transition from being part of a religious system to following Jesus? 05:45  Did you start reading the Bible on your own? What else did you do to get to know Christ better? 08:41  What should a parent do if they suspect their child might have been abducted? 10:14  What about letting my child go to the bathroom by themselves?11:25  How do you deal with the trust issues that come from working in sex trafficking? 16:50 Why did you go into law enforcement? What would you say to someone who wants to get into law enforcement to help fight sex trafficking?20:47 For those of us not going into law enforcement, what can we do to help stop human trafficking?27:16 What role does pornography play in the formation of predators? What role is it playing in fueling the money that helps this industry thrive?33:06  What do you want to tell people about Jesus and why they should follow Him?To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

How do we keep our children safe from predators? How prevalent is sex and human trafficking anyway? Don Tran shares his faith, knowledge, experience, wisdom and insights when it comes to the dealing with the dark world of trafficking. Questions covered: 0:31  What is your career, your job?3:32  How bad is it out there? What is the scale of what is going on when it comes to human trafficking and sex trafficking? 6:24   How is this trafficking happening? What can we do to protect our children? 13:04  What are your thoughts about children with cell phones? 15:42  Why are adults hurting children so much and so freely?18:20  What happens to children, youth, etc., once they are rescued from trafficking? 21:12  Where was God in your youth? What was your relationship with God like?To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

The teachings of Jesus help us see that the kingdom of God has its own culture and worldview. As citizens of the kingdom, we have a way of viewing and thinking about life that is vastly different than most of the cultures of the world.  In this episode, we will look at some of those differences when it comes to the values of greatness, family, possessions and love. Scriptures covered: Mark 10:35-45, Matthew 12:46-50, Mark 10:17-31, Luke 6:27-36, Matthew 5:38-48.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

Alex was born with cerebral palsy, a disease that has left her with the inability to walk without aid. Despite this struggle, she has grown into a young woman of great faith. Wanting to help others who face this and other difficult situations, Alex freely shares about her struggle with being bullied, how she copes with her disease, how she came to faith in Jesus, her ministry to children and her love of horses.  In listening to Alex, you will hear many helpful points of wisdom whether you are the one who is struggling or the parent of someone who is.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

Much of Jesus' teaching centered around the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven. So what does it mean then, to be a part this kingdom? Several things: 1) We have king, namely Jesus. 2) We have a Father, namely God. 3) We have a common culture, a common world view.  As just one example, we look at how the way we think about our possessions in the kingdom of Christ is radically different than the way the people of the world look at them. Scriptures covered: Luke 23:1-4.  John 18:28-38.  Galatians 2:20.  Ephesians 5:1-3.  Hebrews 5:8-9.  Matthew 13:41-43.  Luke 12:33-34.  Acts 2:44-45.  Acts 4:32-35.  Ephesians 4:28.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

For many of us who live in the America, including those of us who call ourselves Christians, the answer to this question is an enthusiastic "Yes!" That, however, is a problem, a HUGE problem. Because the answer to the question, "Which is the greatest nation?", as we will see in today's video, is the Kingdom of God, and it isn't even close. So today we will look at the kingdom of heaven as compared to the United States. We will also answer the question of why U.S. citizens believe America is the greatest. Finally, we will look at some key warning signs that America has become an idol in our heart.  Verses covered:  Matthew 13:24-30,36-43 (The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares).  Matthew 25:31-46 (Judgment Day).  Philippians 3:20-21, 1 Corinthians 15:35-58 (About the new body citizens of the kingdom will receive).Ephesians 4:28 (an example of the Kingdom dream as opposed to the American dream).To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

"Why should I keep living?" At a very young age, Izaac couldn't find a good enough answer to that very daunting question. Overwhelmed by the demands of school and the expectations he placed upon himself, Izaac decided to end it all by jumping from the third-story stairwell of his school. Though he came narrowly close to death, by God's grace he survived. Since that time, he has been learning of and embracing the love God and Christ have for him. He eagerly shares his story now in the hopes that you might do the same.Note: This content has been marked explicit because of the subject matter.YouTube: https://youtu.be/QD-uT9eXzagTo see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

We continue finding answers to the question of whether or not engaging in sexual acts with those of the same gender is acceptable in God's sight. More importantly, we look at the story of a woman of sinful reputation who, despite the scorn of the people around here, went to Jesus in her brokenness. What we will see is the profound love and mercy of the Son of God for any who come to Him in faith.  Scriptures covered: 1 Corinthians 6:9-20, Romans 1:18-32, Luke 7:36-50.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

We end our series on God and same-sex-attraction by wrestling with some of the tougher questions surrounding it, especially, "Why would God make someone gay if He doesn't want that person to act on that desire?" But first, we take a look at how Jesus had compassion on a woman caught in adultery - a sin that, like homosexuality, was punishable by death in the Law of Moses.   Scriptures covered: John 8:1-11.  Leviticus 20:9-16.  2 Corinthians 1:3-5.  Titus 2:11-14.  Luke 9:23-26.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

We continue to look at one of the most emotionally charged subjects of our time by looking more at the concept of having the desire to do something as opposed to actually doing it. We then talk about the context in which God wants the sexual relationship to take place - marriage, versus the contexts of adultery and other forms of sexual immorality (aka fornication). In looking at marriage, we see how Jesus confirms that marriage is between a man and a woman.  Finally, we begin our look at how, yes, homosexuality is a sin that can keep us out of God's kingdom, but it is also a sin for which we can be forgiven and washed clean. Scriptures covered: Proverbs 6:16-19.  Hebrews 4:14-16.  Hebrews 13:4.  Genesis 2:18-25.  Mark 10:1-12.  1 Corinthians 6:9-11.Lastly, in the first video in this series, I apologized for cruelness and meanness on the part of Christians. I realized, though, that another apology was needed, one on behalf of myself for not standing against such actions. It is in asking forgiveness of my and our complacency that we begin this video.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

We begin a deep-dive into one of the most emotionally charged subjects in modern society, homosexuality.  Unfortunately, many in that world or simply perceived to be in that world of homosexuality have been treated cruelly, meanly by those claiming to follow Christ.  For that, I apologize, literally.  My hope is that you will be able to set aside past, hypocritical mistreatment so that you can set your heart on seeking God once again. In so doing, one of the first things I want you to see is that there is a HUGE difference in wanting to do something and actually doing it, in being tempted and giving in to temptation. Error correction: I misspoke when I said Solomon mentioned adultery in the list of six things that God hates (see Proverbs 6:16-19). It is immediately after he gives that list that he talks about the dangers of adultery. He then continues that warning in Proverbs 7.  My apologies!Scriptures covered: John 8:1-11 (the woman caught in adultery), James 1:13-15, Matthew 4 / Luke 4, Luke 9:23-26, Hebrews 13:4.  To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

Recently I did a comedy routine at the Elk's Lodge in Grapevine, Texas.  So in the spirit of recognizing laughter as a gift from God, I thought I would share this rather jovial bit before I forget how it goes. It answers those important questions that you couldn't care less if I answered -  why I will never become a stand-up comedian, what I should have been warned about when it comes to aging, why I have the bathroom blues and why you can rest assured that your dentist knows what they are doing, or not. To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

What do we need to do to improve when it comes to telling others about Jesus?  How can we be more effective? What mistakes are we making? We start our look at the answers to these important questions by examining the need for prayer, the need for both word and action, both saying it and living it, and finally the need for more than just the one strategy of inviting people to church. Scriptures covered: 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Acts 12:12, 1 Peter 3:1-7, Acts 5:42.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

What do we need to do to improve when it comes to telling others about Jesus?  How can we be more effective? What mistakes are we making? We start our look at the answers to these important questions by examining the need for prayer, the need for both word and action, both saying it and living it, and finally the need for more than just the one strategy of inviting people to church. Scriptures covered: 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Acts 12:12, 1 Peter 3:1-7, Acts 5:42.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

We take a look at three options or ways that we can share the good news of Jesus with others. 1) Invite people to opportunities to get to know Jesus. The Samaritan woman did this then her whole town went out to meet Jesus.  2) Tell people about Jesus yourself. We don't always have to leave it to others to explain the gospel. We can tell the good news about Jesus as well!  3) Support those who are telling others about Jesus.  From missionaries to evangelists to Bible translators and more, when we find those who are sharing the good news, let us do what we can to support them in their ministry. Scriptures covered: John 4:1-45, John 1:35-51, Acts 10:17-24, Acts 8:1-4, Acts 17:14-34, Philippians 4:14-20, Luke 8:1-3.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

The first thing to realize about the "how" of telling others about Christ is that it is not up to you to come up with the perfect phrase or story to convince someone Jesus is real.  The Holy Spirit can guide you to what needs to be said and when. The second thing is that we need to pray for the lost - that God will send out laborers into his harvest, that we will speak God's word boldly, that there will be open doors for the word and that God's word will spread rapidly.  Finally, we look at the power of simply telling others about what God has done us, how we can take the hope, joy, peace and love we found in Jesus and let others know about they can find it too.Scriptures covered: Mark 13:9-11.  Luke 10:1-2.  Acts 4:23-31.  Colossians 4:2-4.  2 Thessalonians 3:1.  Mark 15:1-20.  2 Corinthians 1:3-5.  Philemon 1:6. To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

We begin a series on sharing Jesus with others by looking at three reasons why we should do so - Jesus told us to do it in "the Great Commission", Jesus will defend us before the Father only if we will defend Him before men, and most importantly, because Jesus is the only name by which people can be saved.  Scriptures covered: Mark 16:15-16, Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 8:1-4, Matthew 10:32-33, John 12:42-43, Acts 4, Romans 3:23, Hebrews 4:14-16, Romans 6:23.  To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

We read the first two chapters of the book of Job to see an example of Satan being an accuser, a slanderer, and one who inflicts suffering to get us to give up on our faith.  Job was a rich and righteous man, one who "feared God and shunned evil." Despite losing almost everything he had at that hand of Satan, we will see how Job determined to refuse to speak evil of God.   Scriptures covered: Job 1 - 2.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

In part 3 of our look at God's enemy, we talk about the many ramifications of Peter's description of the devil as a lion seeking to devour us. We also take an extensive look at one of Satan's primary weapons when it comes to getting people to quit their faith or keeping people from having faith in the first place, the weapon of suffering.  Scriptures covered: I Peter 5:6-11, Revelation 2:8-11, Acts 10:34-44, Luke 13:10-17.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

As we continue our look at the story of the birth of Jesus, we read the stories of the journey to Bethlehem, Mary giving birth to Jesus and laying him in a manger because there was no room in the inn, the shepherds being told the great news by a host of angels, and finally the visit of the magi, wise men who saw the star of Jesus in the east. Scriptures covered: Luke 2:1-20, Matthew 2:1-12To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

In Part 1 we cover how the angel Gabriel appeared to a young girl named Mary to let her know that she would become the mother of the Son of God, the Savior of the world! We also look at how Joseph, the one who was supposed to become Mary's husband, almost decided to call off the marriage. But an angel of the Lord appeared to him as well to let Joseph know that the child in Mary was from the Holy Spirit. Both were told to name the child, "Jesus".  To start us off though, we address the question of why Jesus had to come to in the first place.  Hint that is not really a hint: It was to save us from our sins.  Scriptures covered: Luke 1:26-38, Matthew 1:18-25To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

In part 2 of our look at God's enemy, we study two famous passages associated with the devil that, if they are indeed about Satan, indicate he was an extremely powerful spiritual being that thought he could be become God. Ultimately we see that regardless, Satan's pride was his downfall.  Scriptures covered: Hosea 11:1, Isaiah 14:12-19, Ezekiel 28:11-19, I Timothy 3:6.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

God has an enemy, a nemesis if you will. He is called Satan; he is called the devil, names that imply he is an accuser, a slanderer, an adversary.  In Revelation 12, John the apostle sees a vision of Satan as a tremendous dragon ready to devour Jesus as soon as He is born and leading a band of angels in war against God.  When those attempts fail, he goes after the woman who gave birth to God's Son. When that also fails, he goes off to "to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." In today's podcast, we will go over Revelation 12 to learn about Satan in more detail.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

We continue our look at the overall story of mankind and our relationship with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, picking up from the death of Jesus for us. Along the way we will answer such questions as "What does Jesus rising from the dead mean for us?"  "What is significant about the prophets and the Bible?" "How can I be forgiven?" In other words, "How can I be saved?" And finally, "What do I do after I am saved?"To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

We take a look at the story of mankind as presented in the writings of the Bible.  Who created us? Why were we created? What is God's desire for us His children? Why did Jesus have to die? These are just some of the questions we will tackle in part 1 of this mini-series. To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

The Bible describes death as that moment when our spirit leaves our body.  So when that happens, where does it go?  What happens to our souls in the afterlife?  We take a look at Sheol, aka Hades, the realm of the dead, a place that is part Paradise, part fiery torment.  Along the way we will answer one very important question: if my loved one is destined for hell, is there anything I can do about it?  Spoiler alert - the answer is "Yes".  Scriptures covered: Numbers 16 - the rebellion of Dathan, Abiram and Korah; 1 Samuel 28 - Saul consults a medium to bring up Samuel from the dead; Luke 23:32-43 - Jesus tells a criminal that he will join Him in Paradise; Luke 16:19-31 - the rich man and Lazarus; Colossians 3:1-2 - Jesus is at God's right hand; Philippians 1:21-24 - Paul wants to join Christ; Luke 11:29-32 - An example of why excuses won't work on Judgment Day. To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

Note: the following podcast is NOT for children.  We look at a teaching of Jesus and a prophecy of Isaiah regarding how bad hell is, after which we wrestle with the question of why this lake of fire is so dreadfully awful.  Scriptures covered: Mark 9:42-50, Isaiah 66:20-24, Deuteronomy 13:6-11, Matthew 18:21-35.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

We look at the descriptions of hell, who is going there, the different reasons as to why people end up there and compare the verses indicating hell is everlasting with the passage where Jesus talks about some servants being beaten with many stripes while others will be beaten with few.  Scriptures covered: Revelation 20:11 - 21:8, Matthew 25:31-46, Luke 12:47-48, Revelation 14:6-11.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

Spoiler alert!  When it comes to when Judgment Day is, Jesus' message is clear: Only God knows, literally, so watch and be ready! But why does God want to judge mankind in the first place?  Can't He just let us be?  The answer is in God's passion for the value of justice.  Scriptures covered: Mark 13:24-37, Proverbs 6:16-19, Exodus 20:16, 2 Chronicles 19:4-7, Psalm 33:5, Psalm 37:28, Isaiah 61:8, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, 1 Kings 8:46.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

In this episode we look at two passages, Revelation 20:11 - 21:8 and Matthew 25:31-46, that detail what the actual judgment part of Judgment Day will look like.  Who will be saved?  Who will be lost?  Why will people end up where they will end up?  How can I be saved? What does forgiveness look like on Judgment Day?  We will tackle these and other questions in this podcast.  To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

In this episode we begin our deep dive into the day of judgment.  It is the final day of life on earth, the day on which all the dead will be raised back to life.  It will be a resurrection of life for those who have done good, for those who put their faith in Jesus, but a resurrection of condemnation for those who have done evil and refused to turn from it.  Finally we will see that, for those who reject Jesus, it is not Jesus Himself but His words that will judge that person on the last day.  Hence the name, "Judgment Day".To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

We begin by continuing our look at the intensity of the wrath of God by reading a passage on His rewards for obedience versus His punishment for disobedience.  In the end what we will see is that the strength of God's love is greater the strength of His anger.  Lastly, we wrestle with the statement of God calling Himself "a jealous God."  The key to understanding this lies in the fact that He is our loving Father who cares for us and will save us at all costs, literally, having sent His beloved Son to die for us.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

We continue our deep dive into the anger of God by seeing an example of Jesus was open and honest about it.  In particular, we look at God's love for children and how bad it is to cause them to sin and to turn them away from Jesus.  We then start looking at the intensity of God's anger, a wrath that is often described as "fierce."To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

Having seen that Jesus can save us from the coming wrath, we shift our focus to understanding what wrath is and why God has it.  The answer is rooted in a fundamental principle of values, that whatever we love and are passionate about, we also hate its opposite, the thing that opposes it.  To put it more simply, if you love love, you're going to hate hate, and no one loves love more than God. To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

It is difficult to imagine a more serious topic than the one we will attempt to tackle over the next several episodes.  It isn't fun or entertaining; it is serious and admittedly scary.  Still, we have to debunk the lies and the myths about God's anger and wrath so that we can understand it and so we can help unbelievers to comprehend it as well.  In this first episode, we will begin with the end in mind, that Jesus can save us from it all.  Because of this, we need to put our trust in Jesus.  We also need to learn and embrace what He always did, the values of the Father, especially that of love.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

Comedic Bible-story teller Jungle Jim goes over the long rivalry, the intense battle that Rachel and her sister Leah had when it came to trying to either keep or win the heart of their husband Jacob.  For Jacob it leads to two more wives, 12 sons, a daughter, and probably a whole lot of therapy.   In all seriousness, of the various lessons to glean from this story, probably the most important is that God sees it when we are unloved, and His heart is moved to have compassion on us. To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

Theologian, zoo keeper, and world explorer Jungle Jim tells of Jacob's flight from his brother Esau - how he was instructed to go to his mother's families home town and the incredible dream he had along the way of a ladder reaching all the way to heaven.  After this, there is the tale of the most romantic story in all the Bible, that of the love of Jacob for Rachel.  Unfortunately for Jacob, Rachel's father Laban and her sister Leah throw a wrench into their plans that no one could see coming, literally!To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

From before they were born the twin sons Jacob and Esau, sons of Isaac and Rebekah, struggled to get along.  Although Esau was the firstborn, Jacob founds ways to take both his birth right and his blessing.  Theologian and oh yes, former zookeeper Jungle Jim joins the show to tell us all about it. To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

Oddly insightful(??) theologian Jungle Jim tells stories concerning the childhood and youth of Isaac, son of Abraham.  The stories include the dismissal of Hagar and Ishmael, a move that almost cost them their lives, and the most unusual request ever made by God of any man, the request that Abraham kill the very son of promise for whom he had long waited, Isaac. To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

Unusual theologian that he is to say the least, Jungle Jim tells the story of how Abraham sends out his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac.  It is a story of prayer, of trust, of humility and of wisdom.  In the end, the tale leads to a young, beautiful wife of godly and noble character for Isaac, a woman named Rebekah.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.

The often goofy theologian Jungle Jim continues his march through the Bible stories of the Old Testament, this time talking about how God called a man of faith, a man named Abram, to move without telling Abram where he would end up.  It is to this Abram, later to be called Abraham, that God gave great promises including one that foreshadowed the coming of Jesus, Son of God. Along the way we learn of Abram's wife Sarai, her servant Hagar and how Sarai's impatience led to the birth of Hagar's son Ishmael.To see David Hicks on YouTube, click here.