The recent appointment with my CPA was not a pleasant one! Don't get me wrong, he's a nice guy and I trust him totally, but when he told me the bottom-line ... he and his secretary had to peel me off of the ceiling! (Not really.)
I'm proud to be an American and I really don't mind paying taxes. It's a responsibility that comes with living in the USA. However, when we're approaching the filing deadline, you will find me scrounging around through various drawers, boxes and file folders, trying my best to see if I can find another receipt ... "ANYTHING" that qualifies as an allowable deduction! What I'm trying to convey is that I'll pay what I owe ... but I'll try my best to owe as little as possible! The only consideration ... IS IT LEGAL? That's why I use a CPA rather than trying to complete the return myself. I want to trust someone competent and knowledgeable enough to keep me out of trouble.
When it comes to dealing with the IRS, many people are always looking for a loophole. The word "LOOPHOLE" is defined as: "a means of escape; an ambiguity in the text through which an obligation may be evaded." It should be obvious, there is a huge difference in dealing with the IRS and dealing with God! Could we be guilty of trying to "evade" something that we see in God's Word? Sadly, when it comes to church and our relationship with God, I'm afraid many people are looking for a loophole. They are looking for a way to get by with doing the minimum. We must be careful not to approach the Word of God in the same manner as the IRS tax code! We sometimes get accused as being legalistic but my feeling is that the person who is looking for the loophole, trying to be justified in getting by with the minimum, is the real legalist! They try to dissect the Word of God to find a loophole and feel justified in living according to their own preference.
As a student, we always appreciate it when an instructor says those two wonderful words ... "extra credit." Whether we feel the need for extra credit to get a passing grade, or we feel we've got this one aced, we still appreciate the opportunity to get extra credit. The word "EXTRA" is an adjective that is defined: "more than is due or necessary." Perhaps we should consider our spiritual life from the perspective of "extra credit" rather than looking for the "loophole." I don't know about you, but when it comes to godliness, I don't want to be getting by on the minimum! The question should not be ... Is it "required?" ... Is it "legal?" ... Is this a "salvation" issue? ... Is this really a heaven or hell thing? Maybe our decisions and our lifestyle should be based on ... Will this enhance "MY" relationship with God? Will this attract God's favor in "MY" life? (Even if it's not required.) Is my motive to be as pleasing to God as possible, or simply to justify the desires of the flesh? (Under the umbrella of Christianity!) Perhaps if we focused on "extra credit" rather than minimum "requirements" we would benefit from a greater degree of God's favor in our lives. And that's what we all hope to have, isn't it?
The Pentecostals of Columbia is not about legalism. We're not about requirements and codes. We're not looking for loopholes. We are about pursuing God and learning to live a life that attracts the favor of God as we get deeper into His Word! We allow you to progress at your own pace ... but we're going to encourage you to grow with us as we all grow together. Why don't you visit us this Sunday and give the POC family the opportunity to get acquainted? For more info, please visit our website: www.pentecostalsofcolumbia.com
