1 Peter 1:6,8

6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,

8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

Ecclesiastes 1:1-3

1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

2 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”

3 What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 2:8-11

8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds.

9 So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.

Ecclesiastes 2:8-11

10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them.

I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure,

For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor.

Ecclesiastes 2:8-11

11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done

And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind.

There was no profit under the sun.

Song of Songs 1:1-4

1 The song of songs, which is Solomon’s. 2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—

For your love is better than wine. 3 Because of the fragrance of your good ointments,

Your name is ointment poured forth; Therefore the virgins love you.

Song of Songs 1:1-4

4 Draw me away!

We will run after you.

The king has brought me into his chambers.

We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will remember your love more than wine.

Rightly do they love you.

Song of Songs 1:7-8 (ESV) 7 Tell me, you whom my soul loves, where you pasture your flock,

where you make it lie down at noon; for why should I be like one who veils herself

beside the flocks of your companions? 8 If you do not know,

O most beautiful among women, follow in the tracks of the flock, and pasture your young goats

beside the shepherds' tents.

Psalm 133:3

3 It is like the dew of Hermon,

Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing—

Life forevermore.

Acts 2:41-43 (ESV)

41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

42 And they devoted themselves to the 2

apostles' teaching and the fellowship, 3

to the breaking of bread and

the prayers.

43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.

Acts 2:46-47 (ESV)

46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,

47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Acts 2:46 (NLT)

46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—

Psalm 84:5-7 (NASB)

5 Blessed is the person whose strength is in You,

In whose heart are the roads to Zion! 6 Passing through the Valley of Baca (Weeping) they make it a spring;

The early rain also covers it with blessings. 7 They go from strength to strength, Every one of them appears before God in Zion.

John 1:11 (KJV)

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

CHURCHGOERS APPEAR TO LIVE LONGER; HAVE LESS STRESS

Analyzing population data from NHANES III,

a team from the UCLA and Vanderbilt CTSAs found a significant association between church attendance and mortality among adults 40-65 years. People who attended church more than once a week had a 55% reduction in all-cause mortality compared to non-churchgoers.

On one measure of stress, allostatic load,

churchgoers tended to fare better than

non-churchgoers.

Source: UCLA CTSI Connections | UCLA Clinical and

Translational Science Institute