Principles Lead to Restoration

“Principles Lead to Restoration!!”

I believe God deserves glory and RMI deserves praise. I'm writing this because my friend doesn't feel completely restored. However, the details of her husband's return and how he is NOW a believer and LOVES the Word of God and seeks prayer from his wife (and me as her spiritual friend) when he feels the enemy attack are a testimony to God's power—proves she is more than RESTORED—she’s blessed!!

I was personally involved from day one. It was two and a half years ago and I was Angel’s neighbor. By divine appointment my crisis happened right before hers without knowing it. If fact, we first met at a neighbor's house and I shared what had happened and how I believed God for my marriage. She told me that she couldn't imagine doing the same. Well, in shock, several weeks later, she found out she had the same situation going on—her husband was living in sin and seeing an OW.

As I grew in my relationship with the Lord I shared RMI materials with her and encouraged her to become a member. For some reason she refused. She contemplated the idea but never got around to it. The thing was, she was being very real about her anger at what had happened, didn’t try to hide her hurt and feelings from God.

Due to her being so real with God, He has blessed her with a restored marriage before mine! Many thought it would be me first before her because of her previously contentious ways, but God's ways are not our ways and He said the first will be last and the last will be first.

There were many false restorations, but each helped to refine Angel. She began to trust God and spend time in prayer, fasting occasionally, and crying out to her Lord and Savior. Even though she never went to the site, she was getting RMI's principles fed to her by me. I, at times, was being weighed down and so many others had abandoned her because of her insistence to do things her way instead of God's way. But God told me to hang in there with her because I was helping to save a family.

The biggest deal came when the scales were suddenly removed from her husband's eyes and he began to thirst for God's truth! It was such a blessing to see him openly share his journey and to be open about his weaknesses and ask us both for prayer. Believe me, he's the last person others thought would come to have a relationship with Jesus! He was much more blatant about being with the OW in public than my husband was (and I am thankful for that). I believe that there's a balance between not grieving God, and also not being real with Him. In other words, complicated prayers and fasting are not necessarily what God needs us to do, but it's the condition of the heart that counts.

We Christians need to recognize that being real (good or bad) is more important than ignoring the true enemies within you and drawing from your own strength. We also have to remember how individual our situations are and that God speaks to each of us according to our individual needs. That's why it's important to seek the throne and not the phone...friends will give you the right encouragement and confirm what God already has told you IF you had been spending time with Him. But if you find the wrong friend you are sunk. He wants to teach you and court you with His love and His life-giving Word. This is how you fall in love with Him. The more you lean on others the more you miss out on God's richness and deepest mysteries.

God changed this couple’s situation in the twinkle of an eye when things looked absolutely hopeless—even to the point of the husband planning to move with the OW to another state to live with him—it just happened suddenly!

God's timing is not predictable, and in what way He plans to work His miracle we never know before it happens. The more we try to figure it out, the more we are off track. I discovered that it really is about our obedience, our heart condition and that God doesn’t judge our outward appearance but sees the heart. As you are obedient to His Word with no exceptions, and submit to your authority (boss, parents [honor them], and husband) even when it doesn't make sense...obey!

We can't be used for His Kingdom if we think we know better. We don't know and have to instead follow Him moment by moment for His next direction. The Holy Spirit does teach, but we have to seek and in solitude will we hear! This is a journey with you and God alone...leaning on our own understanding or others will only lead to destruction and going around the mountain again and again.

God taught Angel the principles of forgiveness, prayer, fasting, faith, submission to authority, winning her husband without a word, love in action and a transparent heart (getting real with the Lord)! Now that I write this, I'm thinking this is what I've been doing. But as for Angel, I think it's because God had mercy and compassion on her and because she admits to being the person of "Oh ye of little faith." She believes God knew she and her family needed to be together.

I sometimes get concerned that Angel may have to go around the mountain again so I do pray for them. But even if she (at times) continues to do things her way, God says we must love our Christian sisters and brothers. But I do know that I have to stay close to God because God designs our path uniquely so even caution must be adhered to in every relationship; you always have to seek Him in all things and pray in all things. Never get too comfortable with an ePartner, a friend, a sister, a brother, anyone for that matter...be wise as a serpent and innocent as a dove...but always love.

God brought this couple through MANY difficult times. Oh, the difficult times were endless. The tears and pain were enormous especially seeing the kids suffer so much to witness Angel, their mom, being so weak and so filled with bitterness.

And due to this, today they have to pray so much for their children because it has made an unfavorable impact on them and caused the teenage daughter to rebel and accuse.

So though she got her marriage restored ahead of mine, I am thankful that I have not damaged my children because it would be part of the consequences that I would have to deal with later when my marriage is restored. Yes, God is faithful and is creating their father to be the spiritual leader though this!

Many times Angel took matters in her own hands, even to the point of teaching her husband what to do and not to do, AND going out of her way to talk to the OW. This only put her children and husband through a lot of pain. And also so many, many consequences she now has to deal with.

The turning point of their restoration was when God's mercy and compassion was poured on their children...I knew if it didn't happen soon, Angel would continue to take matters in her own hands and cause a more final separation and make it difficult for restoration. But God only knows for sure as I'm only an observer, and especially because Angel was much more contentious and continued to do things her way.

Even to this day we both do what we think we are led to do so I am still not sure what the turning point was. I just believe God has His ways. Still I must say that RMI is invaluable and this is what made all the difference in Angel's restoration— and mine, which is on its way!

This is how the restoration actually happened. Angel’s husband came home for a spell, spent more time with the children, and then attended our church regularly (he and his family were attending another church prior to his leaving).

We just started watching how her husband began thirsting for the Word—to the point of bringing his Bible to work and praying for others! Can you believe it?!! And even when Angel began to get discourage, he would get out the Bible and read from God's Word to her to snap her out of it...it’s amazing!!!

For some reason neither of them have yet put their ring back on. But I am happy to add that the OW is finally out of the picture physically (and via phone contact). But it was a long while before her husband cut all ties. He had a stronghold because the OW owed him money and he wanted her to pay, so it became a constant strain on Angel and their marriage because he needed to cut all ties.

Hallelujah, we prayed for this tie to be broken, but I know God allowed it to continue until Angel would submit to God's leading. This contact with the OW kept her on her toes. (I think we all need a thorn to keep us humble.) Our husband's hearts can turn back home instantly, but it’s not until God knows that we are ready, only then, will it happen.

Ladies, we often are the reason why our husband continues to stay tied to sin. So the sooner you know God's plan and obey without delay, the sooner your husband will come back home too!!

Submitted by Jackie in California for Angel, RESTORED