Consider these quotes from the
past:
"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be
seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no
value to us." --Western Union internal memo, 1876.
"Everything that can be invented has been invented."
--Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.
"The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial
value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?" --David
Sarnoff's associates in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in
the 1920s.
"I think there is a world market for maybe five
computers." --Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943
"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5
tons." --Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949
"I have traveled the length and breadth of this
country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data
processing is a fad that won't last out the year." --The editor in charge of
business books for Prentice Hall, 1957
"But what ... is it good for?" --Engineer at the
Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip.
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in
their home." --Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment
Corp., 1977
"640K ought to be enough for anybody." -- Bill Gates,
1981
It's amazing that we've accomplished so much
technologically in this country considering the pessimistic views held by many
(even more amazing when you consider that some of the achievements eventually
came from people who at one time held the pessimistic views themselves).
What is your vision for the future? What would you
like to accomplish? More to the point, what would you like to see God accomplish
through you? There will likely be someone around you ready to tell you that "it
can't be done", or "we've tried that before with no success", or "it's too much
trouble".
And they may be right. Or they may have a "grasshopper
complex" like the ten spies in Numbers 13 who were unable to see what God could
accomplish because they were looking so intently at the obstacles in their way.
"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly
above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him
be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.
Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21)
May the God who can do more than we can even imagine
(and I can imagine a lot!) Be with you this day.
Have a great day!
Alan Smith
alansmith.servant@gmail.com
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