Power supply needed?

Thought for the day

After experiencing difficulties with his computer, a poor, incognizant user called the system maker's technical support line for
assistance:

Technician: Hello. How can I help you today?

Customer: There's smoke coming from the power supply on my computer...

Tech: Looks like you need a new power supply...

Cust: No, I don't! I just need to change the startup files...

Tech: Sir, what you described is a faulty power supply. You need to replace it....

Cust: No way! Someone told me that I just had to change the system startup files to fix the problem! All I need is for you to tell me the right command...

For the next ten minutes, in spite of the technician's efforts to explain the problem and its solution, the customer adamantly insisted he was right. So, in frustration, the technician responded...

Tech: I'm sorry. We don't normally tell our customers this, but there's an undocumented DOS command that will fix the problem...

Cust: I knew it!

Tech: Just add the line "LOAD NOSMOKE.COM at the end of the CONFIG.SYS file and everything should work fine. Let me know how it goes...

About ten minutes later, the technician received a call back from the customer...

Cust: It didn't work. The power supply is still smoking...

Tech: Well, what version of DOS are you using?

Cust: MS-DOS 6.22...

Tech: Well, that's your problem. That version of DOS doesn't include NOSMOKE. You'll need to contact Microsoft and ask them for a patch. Let me know how it all works out...

When nearly an hour had passed, the phone rang again...

Cust: I need a new power supply...

Tech: How did you come to that conclusion?

Cust: Well, I called Microsoft and told the technician what you had said, and he started asking me questions about the make of the power supply...

Tech: What did he tell you?

Cust: He said my power supply isn't compatible with NOSMOKE...

As humorous as that story may be, the same thing can happen on a spiritual level, and it's not humorous at all. Someone's life "goes up in smoke." Their reaction is to try to find a "patch" to get them through, when what they really need is a new "power supply". Unless we access the power found only in God, we are doomed to a life of frustration. And it is only when we realize the "incompatibility" between our attempts to patch things up and God's power that we are able to finally bring ourselves back to God in submission.

"Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers....that you may know....what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places." (Eph. 1:15-20)

Seen any smoke in your life lately? Have you tried replacing the power supply?

Verses

2 Corinthians 4:13

But scripture says, 'I believed, and therefore I spoke out,' and we too, in the same spirit of faith, believe and therefore speak out;

Ezekiel 47:9

"And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes.

2 Corinthians 3:5

Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

Philippians 4:6

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

Proverbs 22:7

A rich person rules over poor people, and if you borrow you're a slave of him who lends.

Prayer

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from You. As recipients of Your tender compassions and tremendous comfort help us to be like cisterns pouring out the mercies we receive from You into the lives of those who desperately need it. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.