the secret power of goodness

8/13/2019 THE SECRET POWER OF GOODNESS

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ZONDERKIDZ

The Secret Power of Goodness

Copyright 2012 by Susie Shellenberger

Illustrations 2012 by Zonderkidz

This title is also available as a Zondervan ebook.

Visit www.zondervan.com/ebooks

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zonderkidz, 5300 Patterson Avenue SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

ISBN 9780-310728443

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible,

New International Version,NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.

Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked GNT are from the Good News TranslationSecond Edi-

tion. Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are from THE MESSAGE. Copyright by Eugene

H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress

Publishing Group.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version.

Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible 1971. Used by

permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois. All rights reserved.

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Editor: Kim Childress

Cover design: Kris Nelson

Interior design: Sarah Molegraaf

Printed in the United States of America

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Introduction

READ THIS FIRST!

What do you have? Kylie shouted over the noise in the

school cafeteria.

Shayla dug into her sack lunch and pulled out herprize. Leftover pepperoni pizza, she said with a smile.

Any chance I can talk you into trading?

Depends, Shayla said. Whatcha got?

Bologna.

Uh, I dont think so.

Wait, thats not all, Kylie said. I made my famous

dessert last night, and Ill give that to you too, all for justone little slice of pizza.

What famous dessert?

Ahhh. I havent told anyone, because Ive never made

it before. But I know its great!

Im a bit skeptical, Shayla said. What is it?

Sugar cookies. My own special concoction. The best



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youll ever eat.

My interest is rising, Shayla said. You made them

last night?

Yep.

And how many have you eaten so far?

None, Kylie said. I had to clean the kitchen and do

homework, and I fell asleep before I tasted them.

So we dont really know theyre any good, do we?

Shayla teased. Im sticking with the pizza.

Kylie laughed. Actually, you can keep the pizza, but

Ill still share. I brought five cookies.

Thanks, Kylie. Ill give it a try. So where were you last

night? I missed you at Bible study this month. Do you

want me to give you a ride next time?

Nah. Im rethinking my belief system.

Whats that mean? Shayla asked.

Well, I saw a show on TV about Buddhism, Kylie

said. And I liked parts of it.

Parts of the show or parts of Buddhism?

I agree with parts of the Buddhist religion. And theres

a new girl in my social studies class whos Islamic. Shes

been sharing her beliefs with me, and Im discoveringthat I really like parts of Islam too.

But youre a Christian, Kylie! Shayla said, as she bit

into one of the cookies.

Yeah, Im a Christian. But I think theres room to fit

in a few other things that sound good, Kylie said. Uh,

whats with the face?



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Girlfriend, Shayla laughed, these cookies are to die

forlike if I take another bite, Ill die!

No way! Kylie grabbed a cookie and took a bite.

Whats with the face? Shayla asked.

These are horrible!

What in the world did you put in these cookies?

Well, I didnt really follow a recipe, Kylie admitted.

What?

I figured Id eaten enough sugar cookies in my life to

know what would work best, and didnt need to follow

the instructions. I just kind of made up my own recipe.

Didnt work, did it, Kylie?

This batch is definitely dead. But Ill get it right next

time.

Just follow the recipe! Its so much easier than

guessing and experimenting.

I wasnt really that far off, Kylie said. I just threw

in a few extra items and deleted some of the old routine

stuff.

Yeah? Like what?

Well instead of using flour, I used baking soda

What? Good grief, Kylie! Flour is the necessaryingredient in almost every cookie in the world.

But baking soda lookslike flour. And instead of using

sugar, I used maple syrup.

Gross.

And instead of regular salt, I used seasoned salt.

That explains it, Shayla said. Kylie, you cant just



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take a little of this and a little of thateven though it

may looklike the ingredient youre supposed to useand

expect your cookies to turn out well.

Okay, okay. I just wanted to experiment.

Kinda sounds like youre experimenting in your

relationship with Christ too.

What are you talking about? Kylie asked.

Listen to yourself. Youre saying you want a little of

this and a little of that. A little Buddhism and a little

Islam.

I was thinking that I could add the stuff I like about

those beliefs to my own faith.

Well, Buddhism promotes goodness, but Buddhists

dont believe in Jesus Christ as Gods Son. And yeah,

Islam promotes peace, but it also promotes having to

earn your salvation. The Bible says Jesus Christ is the

only way to heaven, not good deeds. So really, you cant

add bits and pieces to Christianity. It just doesnt fit.

Hmm, Kylie said. I never thought of it that way.

My mom said its good to explore and search for

answers, and its normal to have doubts, but as a Christian,

our relationship with Jesus is the most important thingin the world.

I just didnt think there would be any harm in adding

a few more things to Christianity, Kylie said.

When you start adding and subtracting, its not

Christianity anymore, said Shayla.

I see. So what are you doing 6:00 this Wednesday?



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Kylie asked.

Why?

Im hoping you can pick me up for Bible study. I need

to get back on track.

You got it, girlfriend! And, Kylie?

Yeah?

Lets go grab an ice-cream bar before class. My treat.

Anythings better than those maple syrup, baking

soda, seasoned salt death wishes, Kylie laughed.

No doubt! I wouldnt wish those on my worst enemy!

____________________________________________

Why do we sometimes insist on messing with a good

thing? Maybe its just our human nature to tinker with

something to make it our own, but one thing is crystal

clear: We cant mess with Christianity. The recipe isalready perfect. When we subtract that Jesus Christ is

the Messiah or add some rule or false teachings, were

doing things that lead to spiritual death.

And guess what? Thats exactly what some of the

Christians in the church at Colossae were doing. They,

like Kylie, were confused. They were trying to add and

subtract false doctrine and rigid rules. They had gottencompletely away from the fact that only Jesus is the true

Messiahand the only way to heaven.

Have you ever been to a big food buffet? You grab a

tray and a couple of plates and choose exactly what you

wantdessert, meat, or a little bit of everything. The

Christians in the Colossian church were looking at their



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relationship with Christ as though it were a buffet. Sure,

they wanted some Jesus, but they also wanted other

things that dont belong in a Christians life. They were

trying to mix everything up and create their own recipe.

It didnt work then, and it wont work now.

Even though the apostle Paul was imprisoned in Rome,

hed heard about what was going on with the Colossians,

and he wanted to help them. So he wrote this specific

letter to remind them of the truths from which they had

wandered.

If he was in jail, how did he find out what was going on

in the church at Colossae?

Great question! His friend Epaphras, a native of

Colossae, came to visit him in prison. Epaphras had

founded the church in Colossae and was concerned about

what was happening with many of the Christians there.

But I hear a lot of different ideas about who Jesus is.

Unless they echo what the Bible says (that Jesus is

the Son of God, the true Messiah, and our only way of

salvation), everything else you hear is not only false, but

also dangerous!

Heres an idea: Instead of falling for all the lies about

Jesus, why not discover him foryourself?You see, thats

what the book of Colossians is all about. The apostle

Paul wants to help you sift through the false messages

youre bombarded with and personally introduce you to

Jesus Christ.

I can get all that from the book of Colossians?



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All that and more! Just as you cant combine a little

of this and a little of that and leave out the essential

ingredients of a proven recipe, neither can you combine

false ideas and good-sounding philosophies to form your

own brand of Christianity.

The Secret Power Bible Studies are a great way to help

keep you on track.

The Secret Power Girls are female Christians who

are plugged into an incredible power source. In fact, you

couldsay its a supernatural power source. The power of

the Holy Spirit. And its available to all Christians.

When you become a Secret Power Girl and understand

more about the Holy Spirit, then you can start growing

stronger in your faith and deepening your relationship

with Jesus. The Secret Power of Goodness talks about a lot

of the stuff Kylie was going through. Like Shaylas mom

said, its definitely okay and normal to have questions

and doubts, and its definitely good to seek out the truth.

The best place for Christians to find answers is straight

from the sourceGods word, the Holy Bible, and from

other Christians who have gone before us and asked the

same questions, like the questions Paul addressed in hisletter to Colosse.

The Secret Power Bible Studies take you into Gods

Word and encourages you to ask questions, and explore

and deepen your faith. The information is broken up into

bite-size chunks. Try to finish one BITE at every sitting,

and once youve finished an entire section, you might



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want to get together with friends or a small Bible study

group to discuss what you learned.

You can either do this study alone, with a friend, or,

like Kylie and Shayla, you can ask an adult female to lead

a small group of four or five girls that will meet weekly

to complete the study. Youre bound to benefit from the

study no matter how you approach it, but being part

of a small group adds an extra bonusaccountability.

Accountability means that you allow another person or

small group of people to help keep you on the right track

spiritually, to pray with you, and to ask you questions

about the tough stuff in your life.

What girl doesnt need something life that?

____________________________________________

Dont Wait!So back to the conflicting ideas about Jesus Why

accept substitutes when you can have the real thing?

Jesus Christ is definitely the real thing! He always has

been and always will be!

So pull on your hiking boots. Were about to take an

exciting journey through the book of Colossians.

Your Secret Power Sister,

Susie Shellenberger



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in Acts 9. After Paul began serving God, he wrote several

letters (books of the New Testament) to fellow Christians.

This book of Colossians is a letter he wrote to the church

in the city of Colossae.

BITE #1

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and

Timothy our brother, to Gods holy people in Colossae,

the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and

peace to you from God our Father.

Colossians 1:12

Whats an apostle?

_____ a. A new doll for little girls.

_____ b. One of the original 12 disciples, plus Matthias

and Paul.

_____ c. A Bible professor at Bethlehem Community

College.

_____ d. One who pours concrete for swimmingpools.

The apostles were the original 12 disciples chosen by

Jesus. After Judas Iscariot betrayed Christ and died, the

disciples met together and prayed for someone to take his



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place. Matthias was chosen. Later, after Saul dedicated

his life to Christ and his name was changed to Paul, he

also joined the rank of apostles.

But everyone who follows Jesus Christ is considered a

disciple. How does that make you feel? (Check all that

apply.)

_____ a. Pretty special

_____ b. Frightened

_____ c. Honored

_____ d. Reluctant

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus

Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard

of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for

all Gods peoplethe faith and love that spring from the

hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you

have already heard in the true message of the gospel.

Colossians 1:35

Paul reminded the people in the church of Colossae that

he was praying for them. Take a moment to list all the

people who pray for you. (If you dont know anyone who

prays for you, start asking other Christians to pray for you.)



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Are you aware that Jesus Christ prays for you? In fact,

before he was crucified, he prayed an incredibly special

prayer for you. Grab your Bible and flip to John 17.

What are some specific things Jesus talks to God about

on your behalf?

Are there people for whom you pray regularly? If so,

list their names in the space provided. If not, write

a prayer asking God to bring specific people to your

mind for whom God wants you to pray.

Paul also mentions the hope [that is] stored up for

you in heaven. Sometimes we need to be reminded

that heaven is our real home. Heaven is where well live



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eternally. Well never get sick in heaven; we wont suffer;

and well never experience any problems. Wow! Think

about it: youll never be lonely, jealous, picked on, made

fun of, or have to worry about how you look (because

youll get a brand-new spiritual body)! Well also get to

live forever with God, who created us. That is our hope.

If you truly looked at life through this perspective, how

would that change the daily problems you face? (Check

all that apply.)

_____ a. It would make my trials seem smaller.

_____ b. It would give me more confidence, because

Id realize I have something much greater to

look forward to.

_____ c. It would give me true joy.

_____ d. Id probably worry less about how I look.

_____ e. Other _______________________________



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Ponder

Stop for a moment and ask God to help you remember

that this earth is only your temporary dwelling place.

Ask him to help you focus on the fact that your real

home is in heaven.



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BITE #2

In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing

throughout the whole worldjust as it has been

doing among you since the day you heard it and truly

understood Gods grace.

Colossians 1:6

Paulwasnt afraidto preach the gospel. In fact, he sharedthe good news everywhere he went. He talked about God

when he was injail, while he was being persecuted,

and on an island after being shipwrecked. Because

his relationship with Jesus consumed him, it was

always the topic of his conversation with others.

What about you? Is your relationship with Christ so

important to you that you cant help but talk aboutit? Take this quick quiz and rate your talkability

regarding God.

Is Christ Showing?

1. My friends know Im a Christian because I talk

about Christ on Facebook a lot.

______ True ______ False

2. Most of my classmates know Im a Christian

because of my conversation and my actions.

______ True ______ False



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3. I discuss what God is teaching me with my family.

______ True ______ False

4. I share prayer requests with my friends.

______ True ______ False

5. I talk about church and youth group activities

with those around me.

______ True ______ False

6. Even people who dont know me personally would

suspect Im a Christian because of the way I act.

______ True ______ False

7. If a stranger eavesdropped on most of my

conversations, she would guess Im a Christianbecause of what I talk about.

______ True ______ False

8. I cant wait to share answers to prayer with my

friends or family members.

______ True ______ False

9. Im not ashamed to carry my Bible to school.

______ True ______ False

10. One of my favorite things to talk about with

others is my relationship with God.

______ True ______ False



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How did you do? Is Christ showing through your life?

Is it obvious to others that youre in love with Jesus?

If you need help in this area, take a moment to write

out a prayer in the space provided asking God to help

you reflect your relationship with God more to those

around you.



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You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant,

who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who

also told us of your love in the Spirit.

Colossians 1:78

Many Bible scholars think Epaphras founded

the church in Colossae while Paul was living in

Ephesus (see Acts 19:10). Epaphras visited Paul in

prisonand told him about the problems happeningin the Colossian church. Their conversation is what

motivated Paul to write this letter to the Colossians.

Describe a specific time a conversation motivated you

to do something. What was the situation? Who was the

conversation with? What did it motivate you to do?

Read Colossians 1:78 again. What kind of reputationdid Epaphras have?



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What kind of reputation do you have? (Circle all that

apply.)

As a Christian, youlike Epaphrasare considered

a minister of Christ. In other words, God wants you

to share the good news with those around you, take

your relationship with Jesus seriously, and be faithful

to him. What would it take for others to view you asa faithful minister of Christ, as Paul saw Epaphras?

_____ a. Id need to establish an actual relationship

with Christ.

_____ b. Id need to get more serious about my

relationship with Christ.

funloving !"#$%&'#(

selfish

loving

genuine

()*#(+%)($,

undependablebossy

self-centered

'-.//').("&/

flaky opinionated

0"&!

demanding

reliable

alwayslate faithful "12.("'&(

havingintegrity



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BITE #3

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we

have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask

God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all

the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives.

Colossians 1:9

According to the above Scripture, what specifically did

Paul pray for concerning his friends in Colossae?

What specifically do you most often pray for when you

pray for your friends?



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What specifically do you most often pray for when you

pray for your family members?

What do you think your family and friends pray aboutfor you when they lift you in prayer?

Read Colossians 1:9 again. According to this verse

_____ a. we can know a fraction of Gods will for our

lives.

_____ b. we can have a little portion of Gods wisdom.

_____ c. if we work really hard at being good and give

more money to our church, we can know

what God wants us to do.

_____ d. we can actually know Gods will for our

lives.



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Lets chat about wisdom for a few minutes. Grab your

Bible and flip to Proverbs 10:14. Read the Scripture and

jot down what a wise person will do.

Now flip back to Proverbs 4:5. What things does this

Scripture encourage you to get or learn to develop?

On a scale of 1 to 5 (with 1 being low and 5 being

high), how are you doing in developing the above?

1 2 3 4 5

And according to Proverbs 4:6, what are the benefits of

clinging to wisdom?



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Check out what Proverbs 4:11 says in The Living Bible:

A life of doing right is the wisest life there is.

If the Great Physician (Jesus) were to give you a

spiritual examination right now, how would your

checkup go, according to this verse?

_____ Id need to be hospitalized.

_____ Hed probably prescribe some spiritual medicine

for me.

_____ Id be taken to the emergency room for help

from some Christian nurses and then released.

_____ Id be given a clean bill of health.



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BITE #4

so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please

him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing

in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all

power according to his glorious might so that you may

have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful

thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in

the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.Colossians 1:1012

Paul had never met the Colossians, but oh, how he

prayed for them! And according to the above verses, he

prayed a mighty prayer!You too can pray for people

youve never met. Make a list of people you dont know

personally but for whom you should pray. Ill get you

started; you complete the list.

1. The president of our country

2. ___________________________________________

3. Missionaries

4. ___________________________________________

5. ___________________________________________

6. Celebrities

7. ___________________________________________

8. Those in need you hear about on the news or readabout in the paper



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According to what Paul prayed for the Colossians, how

can you obtain great endurance and patience?

In what areas of your life do you need endurance and

patience?

Paul prayed that the Colossians would grow in the

knowledge of God. What will it take for you to grow

spiritually in this manner? (Check all that apply.)

_____ a. Reading my Bible more.

_____ b. Going shopping more.

_____ c. Praying more often.

_____ d. Not playing so many video games.



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_____ e. Getting more involved in church and Bible

study.

_____ f. Watching more TV.

_____ g. Talking about my faith with others.

_____ h. Texting and Facebooking more about God.

_____ i. Other _____________________________________

and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified

you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the

kingdom of light.

Colossians 1:12

How long has it been since youve thanked Godfor

the blessings youve received? Have you ever thankedGod for what Paul suggeststhe fact that you get to

share in the inheritance of [Gods] holy people in the

kingdom of light?



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