Philemon 1

6 I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

This is nice and short but it caught my attention. I find it subtle and very wise. Conventional wisdom would state that to be active in sharing your faith, this would bring better understanding to OTHERS. However, Paul states that being active in sharing your faith increases YOUR OWN understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. I found this to be a very powerful concept. Service, sharing, and reaching out to others is not just for the benefit of those we reach out to. It also serves as a tool for our own development. Praise God for his wisdom.

Titus 3

1 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.
3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. 11 You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

I really like this passage. It covers all the basics and gives simple instructions on how we should live as Christians. It reminds long-time believers where we came from before we knew Christ. It also provides to most basic foundation of Christianity in the grace that God gave each person through His Son Jesus. As you may have picked up by now, if you are a regular reader, is the consistant theme of my choice of scripture: Do what is good, always. There is no other way to achieve maximum joy and benefit as a Christian than to follow this command that is given repeatedly throughout the Bible.

2 Thessalonians 1 (part two)

6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.

11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.