yes!

so, when I attempt to teach someone of the Lord and they aren't going to hear me, or they're going to scoff at me, I should just give up and move on, right?

Out of love I sometimes persist, like with my own earth father. I will try to teach him to research how the world has corrupted him, and how (as an example regarding earth-age) C14 dating assumes the earth is at equilibrium and assumes the rate of decay has remained constant all these years. He scoffs and yells at me, stating my sources are biblical companies and instantly discredits them all, as well as all research I try to teach him to help persuade him of the gospel.

So, I try once in a while, even while the Lord inspires me to give up on the ungodly who scoff at God's word. For the fool hath said in his heart there is no God...

I'm hoping there is some type of reasoning why I fail at letting the vile be vile, and letting the scoffers scoff, and the scorners scorn. But I just cannot help myself sometimes, maybe it's pure vanity and I'm subconciously trying to make myself look better, but I truly do it out of love and desire to help people find and seek truth. (i read it is rewarding to both parties)

Thessalonians has a good line; to prove all things to thyself, and that is what i have done through various studies and through prayer+.

It's increasingly difficult to let the wicked be wicked.
I myself have my wicked traits about me, but no one is righteous, and being youthful in a wicked generation surrounding me makes it tough as well to follow God's word.

I made a purchase on eBay called the Wow Bible Color, and it looks like one of those fancy phones, yet it's the audio and text bible kjv, so i can discreetly read God's word in public and people will just think I'm on a fancy, cool cell phone conformed with the world.

Of course, when I'm asked what model or whatever it is, I proclaim it is the Bible and am not ashamed of the gospel, and even let them hear it, but still, the point is I shouldn't feel the need to have a 100 dollar gizmo when I've been toting around bibles for a year now. (it's still awesome to fall asleep while having the bible read to you nightly)

Also while I'm at it, I recently purchased an electronic cigarette and have quit smoking real cigarettes. while I intend to quit the electronic cigarette (it's just a source for nicotine which makes you feel like you're smoking and has fake-smoke; water vapor production) rather soon, I still bought mass products and accessories, [corrupted by the world at its best.]

So I have stopped smoking conventional cigarettes which are more harmful and intend on quitting the electronic cigarette,
I have gotten my hair cut short since I fully realized long hair is a shame unto men,
I have quit drinking soda and sugary beverages and now only drink water mostly
I am cutting back on those caffeinated 5-hour-energy drinks.

and yet I still feel too ungodly to teach or attempt to inspire anyone of the Lord, yet still try like it's some sort of homegrown instinct.

I even tried healing people by praying and touching them. Whether it was ever successful is a mystery but I have faith they were.

While I have faith, I'm afraid Jesus would tell me to depart, and that He never knew me.

Am I alone on this one?

In search of advice.

Thank you for your time.

<3 Grace <3 and <3 Peace <3 unto <3 you.

My friend, I am pleased to see you moving in the right direction, feeding your spirit on the Word and getting free form the bondage of nicotine.

As far as those hard hearts, it is apparent that God is giving you a heart for them. He alone knows who will come. If He leads you to share with someone do not worry about the results. Those seeds you plant may lay dormant for years and then at just the right moment they will began to take root. Other times He may have you witness to someone who will not come but it is an act of mercy to present the Gospel.
The things to focus on is being sensitive to His voice and obeying what you are directed to do. By faith we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and believe Him for the things that are as yet unseen, He is faithful.
Have a blessed day,
your brother Larry.

There is nothing you can do, or say or change about yourself that is necessary to gain the salvation of Christ except to repent, turn from sin and trust in Him and search out all truth in the bible. Reading the bible is the best way to seek the face of God, the bible gizmo sounds really cool, I would love to have one.

As far as the vile...some people will never accept Christ or truth or whatever, they are set in their ways. Just don't let them change you, leave that all up to the Lord, He does a much better job of shaping us than the world. Sometimes you just have to shake the dust off your feet and let God have His way with them.

I do not think the Lord inspires us to give up on people. we are charged to preach the word. we are promised in the bible that we will be persecuted for it. and that includes persecution from your family. even though your father will not respond to Gods word unless moved by the Holy Spirit, it does not change you responsibility to present it to him. we do not know who god has chosen therefore we must preach to all regardless of there response simply because god commanded us to do so.

yeah, good point!

it saddens me sometimes how we can only point out the way, and hope others will walk it and were chosen to believe in the truth.

i even have trouble walking in the spirit, it is so hard! the flesh tugs at me constantly :(

i dont even know if i have walked in the spirit at all for any amounts of time, all i know is it is my goal to walk in the spirit eternally in God's kingdom

[QUOTE=cman77;149278]Knowledge of how the Gifts of the Holy Spirit work (see 1 Cor 12:1-11) is very important in evangelism.

When you make yourself available to God for His work, He will sometimes arrange what I call "divine appointments" for you with people who are in the process of coming to Christ and give you the gift of wisdom - the right words to say, and/or the gift of knowledge - important background information that you would not normally have access to in order to draw the person to Himself.

Its an awesome experience to see these things happen and know that God has honored you by giving you a role in drawing the lost to Himself.

SLE

yeah that's how my uncle intriqued me to read the new testament he gave me, and he told me a brief explanation which got me to read it just to humor him (when i was atheist), and then he told me to prove that it's false to him, so i read it unbiased with an open heart and researched for around 6 months straight trying to prove it false, and trying to prove it true. and finally i began to believe and prayed to see if it worked and oh boy it did, God sent me a bunch of confirmation signs seemingly daily for a good time

ChildrenOfLight: I read your short biography in your profile and wsas struck by thed phrase there is much I need to change about myself. You are taking on an onerous and depressing task in trying to change yourself; a task that only God can perform.

Study Galatians chapter five. While Paul was specifically referring to the Galatian believers' leaning toward returning to submission to the Law, his words also apply to those of us in the 21st century who tend to submit again to our old ways of thinking and acting.

SLE

ah, very wise words!

i find myself attempting to merely 'cut back' on things when i should just let God guide me to knock off the corruption i partake in