The ultimate tax deduction!

Work related car expenses, depreciation on my professional library & use of my home office…I spent some time yesterday getting all my tax affairs in order, double checking that I had everything right before lodging my tax return for the year.     

Most people I know dread the task of doing their tax but those same people really enjoy writing down any deductions they are allowed to claim.

I have never heard anyone whinge about the fact that they have too many deductions but I have heard heaps of people say that they think they pay too much tax! 

A couple of years ago I was audited by the Tax Office, they checked everything that I had claimed for the previous couple of years and found everything to be in order. (Phew!)

I wasn’t really concerned because I had been careful and fair in reporting and in claims but it still was nice to know that everything was OK. 

The one thing we all want to avoid is having a big debt at the end of the year, especially one that we cannot afford to pay! The Bible says that “We all have sinned” (Romans 3:23), that activity comes with wages: “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).  This doesn’t sound so promising – but there is an option – something we can do about it! 

Jesus gave His life to take our place – He is the ‘ultimate tax deduction’ for your life. If you give your life to Him you qualify for what He offers – Your sin removed and your life restored!

That’s the best offer you are going to hear today! Don’t leave it too long before you do your tax and don’t leave it too long before you do your business with the Lord!

The first step is a doozy!

On the way up things were fine but the trip down was a whole lot quicker!  

My excuse (and I am sticking to it!) is that I usually work on a two sided ladder and I had borrowed one with rungs on one side and nothing on the other.  This was fine whilst I was on the way up but when I stepped over the ladder and started my journey down there was nothing left to do but head towards the floor quicker than I had planned! 

 Don’t worry, the ground broke my fall! 

It is amazing the things that rush through your head in a moment like that…first you think ‘Why am I falling?’ then… ‘This will probably hurt!’ finally… ‘I hope no-one is watching!’ 

The problem with a ladder is of course that if you miss one rung you are probably going to miss them all.  One stumble is enough to cause you a huge problem.   

The Bible says that the same is true when it comes to God’s Laws, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.”   James 2:10   

If we have broken even one of God’s laws, even in the smallest way then it is like we are trying to climb down the wrong side of a ladder… but the good news is that hitting the floor is not the only option!   The Lord Jesus offers forgiveness and help when we find ourselves on the floor. 

All you have to do is allow Him to help you up!

Holiday-prep

It is time to prepare! If we don’t prepare then we will be in for trouble. In a couple of weeks we are headed down to the Victorian Snowfields and along with everyone else we are making ready for the big trip. One of the major things that we have to consider is whether our transportation is up to the task. Nothing is worse than having a car that lets you down at the last moment just as a blizzard is moving in. We need to check that the tires have enough tread on them, that the coolant is at the right level, that the engine is in tune and, most importantly – does the heater work?

A little preparation can save you a lot of heartache. This is true about a trip to the snow but it is also true in every area of your life.

Are you prepared for what the future holds?I cannot tell you your future; I cannot predict what may befall you in the next twelve months or beyond. But I can tell you a couple of things that you can rely on… just as winter follows autumn, so too, you are going to experience seasons in your life. Some will be warm and full of joy; some will be cold and full of challenge. Are you ready for both?

Are you letting the Lord work in you? “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

Working with Dad

“Dad, can I have a turn of the jig saw?” My six year old looked up at me with a hopeful look whilst I was standing on top of the ladder putting the final touches on the roof of the tree house that we, me and my four kids, had been building. “No, you can’t really at the moment” I said, He dropped his gaze and looked disappointed.

From the beginning of the project there had been intense competition over who would do which part of the job. Each of my kids wanted to mix the concrete, hammer the nails, cut the wood and paint the walls but often only one could help at a time. Also there were some jobs which some could do and others couldn’t. So I became the permission giver as every little job became an opportunity to be involved.

They acted like this for a few reasons: They wanted to place their own mark on the backyard; they wanted to be close to and work with me; they wanted to grow in their level of responsibility.As a good father I had to be careful to guide and lead them without holding them back or crushing their hopes.

Our Lord is a caring Father who wants to work with you; He knows what is best for you and gently guides you through your life and leads you to Himself. The tragedy is that many have ceased to invite Him to be a part of their lives.

When was the last time you worked with the Father?

Your guarantee

A few weeks ago I was watching the television with one of my kids when we saw an ad which talked about winning a truckload of cash. You know the sort of commercial; the ones which say “Buy your ticket to freedom!” or “Spend the rest of your life!”

It would be fun to have a large amount of unaccounted for disposable income but I wonder if the reality would live up to the promise? The average winnings for 1^st division Lotto is one million dollars. Now anyone who has seen a spy movie knows you can fit a million dollars in a silver suitcase so why do they talk about a “truckload”?

Would winning even a vast sum of money buy you freedom? Wouldn’t you still be the same person, with the same questions and needs? Could you really “spend” the rest of your life, or would that activity become increasingly meaningless and without fulfilment?

I have heard many stories of people who have not found the fulfilment they have been looking for in wealth or material things but I have found an asset which never fails nor disappoints.

“The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 10:22

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Matthew 6:19

He is more than a hope, He is a guarantee!

“Icandoitwithoutanyhelpitus”

Some jobs you can easily complete on your own. Other jobs move faster if someone gives you a hand and still other jobs are impossible to complete unless you allow someone else to pitch in.

Many of us suffer from the condition “Icandoitwithoutanyhelpitus” and we tend to struggle on without allowing others to lend a hand even when it is necessary. You might be a very capable individual but the fact is that there are certain things that by design need you to get some help.

Failing to allow others to work with you will often stifle your capacity, limit your output and even cause damage along the way. But when we learn the benefit of allowing others to make a significant impact upon what we are attempting to do, we begin to see some real progress.

Some jobs were designed to be done on your own. For example, cutting your toenails! But much of our life was designed to thrive on interaction.

Make certain that you are not pushing people away, when they are probably just the thing you need to help you become the best you, you can be. Don’t be a “self-made” man or woman. Allow others to make an impact upon your life, but most of all, allow the one who knows you the best, help you become the best!

“do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

Free indeed

I was looking through some old photographs this week and I came across one which showed my family and our little dog enjoying a picnic at Palm Beach. The dog was tied up to the back of our car and we were enjoying the beauty of the day. When it came time to leave we picked up all our belongings, loaded them into the boot of the car, closed the doors, and drove off. The only problem was that that the dog was still attached to the car!

At first I am sure that it wasn’t a problem but as the car accelerated, the dog’s legs had to move faster and faster. Thankfully, after about 500 metres, my father saw the dog out of his rear-view mirror, huffing, puffing and running like crazy! He stopped the car, untied the dog and it took about 30 minutes for its heart-rate to drop to normal. The dog never liked us tying him up to the car again! Some days our lives feel just like the dog tied to the rear of the accelerating car. We are tied to something that is moving faster than we can cope with, and we feel like it is only a matter of time till we fall. Our lives seem “out of control” and anything but refreshed and free. We need someone to slow things down and release us from our chains.

The Lord Jesus has done just this in my life. He has broken the chains to those things which bound me and He has picked me up and set me free.

John 8:36 “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”