DAY 10 STOP CORRUPTION - TAX STRUCTURE/IRS

Day 10 - Tax Structure and the IRS

“The Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with Him.” -Proverbs 11:1

AREAS TO CONSIDER

• Income tax law is filled with special provisions favoring particular industries or interest groups; additionally, the system employs a graduated tax rate, increasing the amount of taxes paid in proportion to the amount earned, rather than treating everyone equally. (1)
   
• Inheritance tax inappropriately taxes what should pass from one generation to another, violating the biblical principle that parents should leave an inheritance for their children (not the federal government). (2)
   
• The corporate tax rate in the U.S. is the highest in the world, resulting in higher prices, lower employment, and businesses relocating overseas. (3)
   
• The IRS was meant to enforce tax law for all U.S. citizens equally and not single out taxpayers with opposing views. (4)
   
• The targeting of Christian and conservative groups by the IRS: the IRS and other government agencies don’t have the authority to administer regulations with unequal standards. In additional insult to our constitutional government and principles of checks and balances, no one has been brought to justice over this yet. (4)
   
• The IRS recently settled a lawsuit with the Freedom from Religion Foundation by agreeing to new procedures and protocols for monitoring churches, including sermon content. (5)

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PERSONAL REPENTANCE

Father God, first and foremost I ask that You would forgive me if I, in any way, have not been honest in obeying my government by not paying my taxes in full. I also repent for any ways that I have targeted people because their beliefs conflict with mine. Help me to maintain my integrity and love for others.
 

CORPORATE REPENTANCE

Lord God, as citizens of this nation we repent for allowing corruption to exist in our tax structure and ask that You would expose it. We ask for your forgiveness for allowing innocent people to be targeted financially due to differing political or religious views. We also repent for any way that our nation has not honored the law of land in not paying taxes.

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PRAY

1. Pray for truth about motives and actions within our tax systems to be fully revealed. (2 Corinthians 13:8)
    
2. Pray that our tax system would not ever favor one class over another; ask the Lord to raise up leaders with wisdom for implementing biblical principles into the taxation system. (Ecclesiastes 7:12)
    
3. Pray that the corporate tax structure would be overhauled to a system less complicated and not graduated, allowing our goods and services to be more competitive with other nations. (Jeremiah 7:57)
    
4. Pray that those who have misused their power and authority in our business/economy systems to be brought to justice. (Proverbs 21:15)

ACT

1. The Bible is clear that we are to obey authority and the law of the land. Evaluate your finances when it comes to paying your taxes. Have you been honest in paying your taxes fully? Before we can do our part to end any corruption in the tax structure, we need to make sure we are righteously obeying the law of the land in paying taxes.

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SOURCES

1. “Income tax in the United States.” Wikipedia. Web. 7 August 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_tax_in_the_United_States
    
2. “Inheritance tax.” Wikipedia. Web. 11 August 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inheritance_tax
    
3. Moore, Stephen. “Seeking Lower Taxes, Companies Flee the U.S.” The Patriot Post. 11 August 2014. Web. 11 August 2014. http://patriotpost.us/opinion/28090
    
4. “2013 IRS controversy.” Wikipedia. Web. 11 August 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_IRS_controversy
    
5. Alliance Defending Freedom. “IRS Strikes Deal with Atheist Group to Monitor Content of Sermons. LifeSiteNews. 25 July 2014. http://www.lifenews.com/2014/07/25/irs-strikes-deal-with-atheist-group-to-monitor-content-of-sermons/

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