The Good News Plan Archive

# 1 

Restoring The Fortunes of Israel

Examine ten instances in the prophets where this expression occurs. Learn to whom and about whom the Scriptures were speaking when God made this declaration. As it concerns events in our time in history, it is important to understand!

# 3 

Prayer To Our Creator

Consider the way in which nine men and women who offered prayer address the God to whom they prayed. In each case it was important to them to recognize the One to whom they prayed as their Creator. It was an acknowledgment of the power of the Creator to bring about deliverance, to change circumstances in a manner that no man could accomplish. 

# 5 

From Heaven or From Men?

Investigates the criteria that Jesus taught the people for assessing whether the claims of the religious leaders of his day were authentic. They were influenced by many factors -- prestige, vanity, popularity, recognition, wealth, and power -- which are things of men not from heaven. The relevance of this lesson is that these factors were weaknesses common to our human nature which remain valid criteria to continue to use today in assessing those institutions and leaders who claim to represent God's authority on earth.

# 7 

The Four Dimensions of The Blessing of Abraham

Open up what the Scriptures teach about the blessing that God gave to Abraham and to his offspring. The heirs of the blessing that make up the offspring of Abraham are determined by God, not on the basis of their physical, lineal descent from Abraham, but by their identification with the faith of Abraham. This means of inclusion through Christ is the great secret disclosed in the New Testament as to how Gentiles could be counted as the offspring of Abraham. What the inheritance consists of -- land promised to Abraham and his offspring forever -- is shown from the Scriptures. The pre-eminence of Christ as the heir of the blessings and the one whose redemptive sacrifice made it sure are emphasized.

# 9 

By The Mouth of God's Holy Prophets

Investigate the use of this phrase in the two places where it is used in the New Testament Scripture. The first occurrence is in the message that Zacharias, the father of John the Baptizer, gave at his son's birth. The second occurrence is in the message that Peter delivered to the people of Israel after Pentecost in the temple. This study compares both messages to establish the outline of the good news plan that God spoke through His prophets long ago.

# 11

The Cutting of the Covenant

Consider why in the Hebrew language making a covenant was referred to as "cutting a covenant."  This study considers why animal sacrifices were offered and blood was shed in order to make covenants - and how that ritual pointed forward to the offering of Christ to ratify the everlasting covenant God made with Abraham and his offspring.

# 13

Five Reasons For Faith In God

Consider why we all believe in many things that we cannot see. Isn't the primary reason because unseen things explain so many things that we can see? That's true whether the unseen things are events that happened in the past, like the resurrection of Jesus, or phenomena that we observe in the present, living the amazing human body.  

# 15

What It Means To Be 'In The Flesh'

Consider how the phrase "in the flesh" is used in Scripture. What does it mean when the Scripture says that Jesus came "in the flesh"? What is the opposite of being "in the flesh?" Why is it important to understand that Jesus came "in the flesh?"

# 17 

Why God Chose Israel

The Jews are known as "the chosen people." This scriptural way of referring to the Jewish people has stirred the resentment of non-Jews. It was a factor in the Nazi obsession with the Jews that led to the Holocaust. Consider the reasons the Bible gives for His choosing this people.

# 19 

The Identity of The Beast

The prophet Daniel had a dream about four beasts -- a lion, a bear, a leopard and a ten-horned wild beast.  Consider why this fourth beast is identified with the Roman Empire and how the Book of Revelation gives more information about its three distinct phases: the great red dragon, the beast arising out of the sea, and the scarlet beast on which the woman sat.

# 21

Figures of Christ in The Garden of Eden

While Jesus did not exist as a physical being until his birth in Bethlehem, his purpose in the plan of God was stated at the beginning. Consider three figures of Christ in the garden of Eden that describe his role in redeeming our fallen race after Adam's fall.

# 23 

The Role of Arabs in The Holocaust

Consider the evidence for the role played by Arabs, led by the Grand Mufti of Palestine, Haj Amin Al-Husseini, in fomenting trouble for the British that led them to greatly restrict Jewish immigration to the Holy Land, thereby sealing the fate of many European Jews, trapped by the conquests of the Nazis. Does the prophecy of Obadiah foretell this day of Judah's calamity?

# 25 

20 Important Things to Understand Part Two

The last eight of twenty important Bible teachings are set out. The question is considered, why the Bible itself does not have a convenient summary of the core doctrines that are important to understand and believe for salvation.

# 27

Baptism In The Book of Acts

To establish the practices of the first Christians, it is necessary to look at the book of Acts. Consider what it records about the practice of baptism - to whom it was administered, how it was carried out, and why it was important.

# 29 

Building by God's Spirit

Consider how, as God's Spirit endowed certain craftsmen among the Israelites who escaped from their slavery in Egypt, His Spirit endowed teachers in the first century ecclesias to the witness to the truth concerning Jesus.

# 31

The Extent of Noah's Flood

Consider what the Bible says about the extent of Noah's flood in coming to a conclusion whether it was worldwide or localized in its extent. Learn why the answer matters - to God's being true to His covenant with Noah and to our understanding of how the flood was a pattern of things to come at Christ's return.

# 33 

"What Do You Think of The Christ?"

If your children or grandchildren ask you who Jesus was, how will you answer? The only source of reliable information is the Bible.  The Bible reveals that Jesus is ordained to be the leader and commander of the world, a role he has not yet assumed.

# 35 

God's Selection Criteria For Rulership

Compare human methods for selecting among candidates for positions of leadership with the method which God is using.

# 37 

Why Is God Called "the God of Abraham?"

Consider why God is identified as "the God of Abraham" seventeen times in the Bible. Why is God willing to be associated with specific flesh and blood individuals in this way? What can we learn from the names that God gave to Abram (Abraham) and Sarai (Sarah) about the prophetic meaning of His own name?

# 39 

Distinguishing Authentic Things From Fake Ones

Taking the fake Hitler diaries, that were introduced to the world forty years ago, as a case study, what can we learn from their short-lived acceptance about distinguishing forged documents from authentic ones? How can that learning be applied to the Bible?

# 40

Why the hope of the Bible is called "the hope of Israel"

Many news commentators and prophecy expositors who call  themselves "Christian Zionists" hold the view that the church's hope is different than the hope of Israel. In this study, Bible teaching that there is only one hope is brought forward.  Why that hope is identified by Paul with Israel is explained.