If you have any questions about any of these teachings, you may  contact Brother Don Ragsdale at the following address: don@skywatchmin.org

The new Believer has to undergo the building of the foundation of Jesus Christ as the Chief Cornerstone  first, and then the  teachings  of the prophets and apostles for the establishment of the proper  foundation in rightly dividing the Word of  Truth.  Every new Believer wants to obey the Lord, to please the Master of  his soul.   It is with this knowledge we bring into focus the proper Principles  of  God so that the Believer will not only  know the Principles, but walk in them as well.

One of the Principles of God is acknowledging what is God's.  In this  regard, we speak of that which is ours that belongs to  God when we become Christians.  It is not "given" to Him, be sure of that.   He states that the world is the Lord's and  the  fullness thereof.  And the Lord further states that of all gains a  person receives,  a tenth (10th) of it is the Lords and is to be  handed to Him. This ten (10) percent is called "tithe".

One  of  the  major Principles of God is  paying  "tithe".  Every Believer  and every organization based upon Christianity  is  required to tithe. Tithe is that portioned amount of ten (10)  percent of  one's income, be it money, values,  land,  or  whatever source  of increase of one's material gain. One cannot give  what one  does  not own, and the ten (10) percent belongs to God already.   It just is a matter of handing it over to Him.   Tithing is NOT giving, contrary to many beliefs.  The tithe is God's.

God  declares one cannot obtain such income without His  approval and He sets aside the "tithe", ten (10) percent, as His share for letting one obtain the income.  It is not for discussion nor for argument.  It simply belongs to Him.  Since God is the source of all  things,  one can readily see how all of it  belongs  to  Him anyway.   So,  if  He wants to give His people  the  ninety  (90) percent,  retaining  only ten (10) percent for Himself, He  is  a good God!

If one wants to borrow the tithe for a period of time (borrow), a twenty (20) percent  interest rate is given, of the amount borrowed. The 20% is not per  annum, but  is based upon payment being made before the next  source  of income arrives which a tithe will be due.

Not  paying tithe is called robbing God! And God sees to it  that the  funds will leave the Believer's hands willingly  or  through force  in having to spend  money unnecessarily. The Believer  will have  financial burdens and problems when not paying  the  tithe. God  wants every Believer to enter into the kingdom  of  heaven, paying  the tithe and doing so in a timely  manner!  And God,  the Loving Father, will begin disciplining those who fail to live  in this  Principle of paying what is owed to God.  Remember,  paying tithe is NOT giving, but paying what is already due upon  receipt of  the  income.   In otherwords, one is  receiving  ninety  (90) percent  for oneself and ten (10) percent for God  whenever  one receives anything! God wants the Believer to always realize He is his partner by ten (10)  percent in every income.

"Where does God's portion go?". is the question asked most often. God declares  His  portion  is His and what He does with  it  is  His business.  He is very frank about it for He wants the Believer to realize  that he has nothing to do with God's portion.  Now,  the Believer is to bring the tithe to God's storehouse. 

In  the days before Christ, the storehouse was the local  temple, where  the priests and Levites offered up sacrifices  and  lived. When Christ was crucified and the curtain torn in two pieces, the Spirit of the Lord left the physical Holy of Holies in  Jerusalem and no more to habitat a physical dwelling place. The temple lost its position as the storehouse of God.

Today,  the storehouse of God is the minister, ministry,  church, fellowship  or  group  where the Believer  is  spiritually  given spiritual  food.  The  source of one's spiritual  growth  is  the storehouse  of  God.   It is that storehouse  that  receives  the physical tithe so that the  storehouse may have its needs met  to continue  being  the  spiritual storehouse.  The  needs  of  this storehouse  is  also spiritual as well, as it is  the  person  or place the ministry of Christ flows through. Such needs covers the continuation of the cost of operations, printed materials,  gifts to the poor and needy, food for the hungry, and clothes for  the naked,  and shelter for the homeless.

The needs also  covers  the needed  funds  for the living expenses of those involved  in  the storehouse,  whether it be the pastor, elders,  deacons,  ushers, musicians,  ministers,  whoever is involved  in  that  particular storehouse.  It can be one person, a family, or a group.   There  is not  a specific requirement in the Word as to the exact  description.  However, to keep it simple, it is where the source of  the spiritual food is given.  This is the storehouse of God. And this is where the tithe is to go, timely upon receipt of the income.

A good method of determining God's  storehouse for the  Believer is simple:  ask where or who is giving the Believer the spiritual truths  of  God  that cause a change and growth  to  take   place  within  the  heart. Be it church  or  ministry or individual leaders.

The  following Scriptures covers the Principle of God  concerning the tithe in detail:

In  understanding the Principles of God, one must be led  of  the Spirit of God for the revelation to be established in the  heart. The  study of all of the Scriptures will point to  the  principle involved and confirm what is covered.

When  you are faithful in bringing your tithe into  God's  storehouse on a continuous basis, you automatically  bring  spiritual and  financial blessings into your life.  As you are obedient  to His commands,  you learn the Principles of God,  taking  on  His Nature into your life.

So, bring your tithe into God's storehouse faithfully and receive your blessings of prosperity in the Kingdom of God!

In Jesus's Name,