Ned, thanks for your "rambling" as it gives me a chance to get acquainted with you adn your situation. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ned Benton" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Saturday, July 02, 2005 1:33 PM Subject: Re: spiritual abuse When I was about eight or nine years old, my parents took me to Tallahassee Florida, about 35 miles from Thomasville, Ga where we lived, to a tent meeting with Oral Roberts. I had to go back a 2nd night to get to him for the prayer line was so long. Anyway, he prayed for me and, and when I was not instantly healed, he told me to go my way and the Lord would finish the work in me. Maybe the next year, I was visiting my uncle and his family in Peary Florida and we had a revival meeting at their little Assemblies of God church where, on Friday night, they had a healing service. Again, I was not healed. I believe with all my heart in both situations that I would be healed. Later, in my home town of Thomasville, we attended another tent meeting. I don't remember the evangelist's name, but when he prayed for me he had me say "thank you Jesus" several times. Then he asked me to follow him around the stage. At that time, I had light and color perception. He had on a white shirt and under thousands of watts of light. I could have followed him to New York or to Canada. (grin) What I felt that night was that he deliberately missled the people to think that the Lord had healed me. He asked if I believed the Lord would heal me and I said "yes". Then, after the walk around the stage, he had me say "thank you Jesus" a few times. People we knew called or came by thinking I had been healed. There was once, while I was ministering at the Cleeveland Avenue church in Atlanta, my driver and I stopped in on a revival meeting in a chuirch one evening. While everyone was praying, a gentleman came back to me and my driver and asked me to come up and be healed. I told him as kindly as possible, that I thanked them for their interest but that I believed in the power of healing and that I believed in the power of prayer and would continue for the Lord to heal me if He could better use me with sight. I am, in many ways, thankful for my blindness because it allows me opportunities with many people that I would have otherwise. Also, I would not be whom I am or where I am today had I not lost my sight. It is a tremendous blessing in many ways. Do I want to have sight? You bet! But I want to be the Lord's servant and if I can be a better servant without sight, then Lord let me remain blind. Okay, enough of my runnning on as if you all had nothing to do but read my email. I love you all and am happy to be a part of your family. Cindy and Angel, we are always happy to see new people on this list. You can rest assured that we are always here for you and that we actually pray for your requests and for your needs. Ned -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.8.8/37 - Release Date: 7/1/2005