Steve Kitchens

Although happiness is a positive emotion when we are pleased or feel good over a particular thing or circumstance in our lives, there is a difference between happiness and joy. Both are positive emotions, but they are not the same thing.

We must first be reminded that God created mankind to love Him; however, because of the fall of man, it is impossible for the “natural” person (unbeliever) to truly love God

When we become Christians, born again into the family of God by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit, we are indwelt for the rest of our lives by the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 1:14). God has given to us the Holy Spirit as “the guarantee of our inheritance” for eternal salvation with our Lord (Eph. 1:14). It is because the Holy Spirit is in us that we have the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22-23) and the “gifts of the Spirit” (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:8-10; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11-12; 1 Pet. 4:10-11