Rejection to Resurrection - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Rejection to Resurrection

Steve Martin

“This Yeshua is the stone rejected by you builders which has become the cornerstone. There is salvation in no one else! For there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by whom we must be saved!” (Acts 4:11-12, Complete Jewish Bible)

A highly respected and noted Bible teacher in the 1970s and beyond, Bob Mumford of North Carolina, had a unique way of presenting truth as he spoke. He would get the gathered believers laughing about an incident or story he would tell, and then, “Bam!”, the truth would hit you, figuratively, in your smiling teeth, with your mouth wide open, when the last sentence of truth proclaimed came forth. When the reality of the situation he was telling became shockingly clear, suddenly exploding in your heart’s understanding, it was like you just got hit in the mind with clarity. You never saw it coming, but when it did, the presented truth immediately enlightened your head and heart. It was, “Yes, that is it. I never saw it before. How could I have missed that? Wow!”

Bob Mumford

Bob went on to say that so very often, when we hear the Word of the Lord come to us the first time, as a word of instruction and direction, that which is given as the answer to our prayer and supplication, our immediate human response is so often, “No, I cannot. I will not. I must not.” We reject that very thing which would save us. Only later, when we find out that that very truth is spoken, the one we so easily cast aside as ridiculous or impossible at first, would be the exact one that was sent to us, to bring us from rejection to resurrection. Only then do we receive it and rise, being resurrected ourselves with it.

But as happens far too often, we at first dismiss it. We at first toss it aside. We let it be buried in the ground.

As happened with Jesus Himself, that which was rejected and buried later became that which was the very cornerstone that was needed. Salvation has come. We need only to receive Him, day in and day out, to get out from under that which had been dead and buried.

And so it was when Yeshua came the first time. The very one that could save each from all that held us in bondage was the very one rejected. Only after His resurrection did the understanding come, to fully realize He was Who He said He was. The Truth once rejected was the Truth resurrected.

How often have you and I been presented the truth of reality, the “way it is, because that is the way it is?” When we first hear what can save us, what will give us the answer to that which we have prayed for, we dismiss it. Only after the Holy Spirit continues to open our closed eyes and our closed heart do we finally realize that, yes, that is what I need, this is what I have been looking for, this is what my spirit has been longing for, for so long.

That very thing we rejected, in the beginning, is the very one thing that will bring resurrection to the dead reality we had brought on ourselves.

The builders rejected the cornerstone. So had we.

We have been given the opportunity to hear the Lord speak to us in our daily walk, directing our steps, and moving us onward in resurrected power and anointing. We must take heed to not reject that which He sends our way, but to trust in His guidance and provision. The walk of faith is a daily movement away from rejecting His Word to us and receiving His resurrection power to carry it out.

The world is waiting for believers to demonstrate the living resurrection power that has been given to us. They too will reject it at first, but when the Holy Spirit opens their eyes to the eternal truth, they will join the saved ranks and likewise be witnesses of His resurrection too.

Let the rejection in your life become His resurrection in your life. Accept the truth He brings, for He alone has the power to raise you up and get you to where He is ultimately wanting to take you.

Now think on this.

Shalom and ahava (peace and love in Hebrew).

Steve Martin

Founder/President

Love For His People, Inc.

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Now Think On This #410 - in the year of our Lord 04.13.19 – “Rejection to Resurrection” – Saturday 4:50 am.

Larry Sparks: "British Isles/UK and Europe: It's Time to Reap What You Have Sown!" - The Elijah List

Larry Sparks: "British Isles/UK and Europe: It's Time to Reap What You Have Sown!"

 The Elijah List Apr 12, 2019

From the desk of Steve Shultz:

I sure enjoy reading the promises and plans of God over the nations of the earth.

As we read words like this, it should excite us for what God also wants to do in our own nation as well.

Larry Sparks shares this awesome prophecy he recently recevied over the British Isles/UK and Europe:

Even now, I prophesy, "British Isles and Europe, it's time for you to reap what you have sown into the nations of the earth!" What have you sown? I believe the Holy Spirit told me, "They have sown revival and reformation into the four corners of the earth."

Also included are specific prayer strategies from Larry that we can be praying into. Let's get behind this word over Europe and what God wants to do through His Church there! (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)

By the way, if you haven't heard, we have a new TV show called "Elijah Streams" which airs on GOD TV, DIRECTV and Faith USA. We interview many of the prophetic voices featured right here on the Elijah List. You can watch our latest episodes On Demand too right here on:ELIJAHSTREAMS.com.

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Enjoy! And thanks for forwarding this to your friends! They can subscribe here.

Steve Shultz, Founder and Publisher
The Elijah List & Breaking Christian News 
http://www.elijahlist.com

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"British Isles/UK and Europe: It's Time to Reap What You Have Sown!"

Larry Sparks, Dallas, Texas

Recently, the Spirit of the Lord said to me: "It's time for the UK and Europe to reap what they have sown."

At first glance, such a statement might produce some fear and trembling because of how we are religiously bent to think. Often, when we consider the concept of sowing and reaping, we think of how nations have sown bad things, and thus, should brace themselves for the judgment or wrath of God.

While God does have the right to judge nations, we need to also consider that the word "judgment" also includes "evaluation." And remember, our God is the One who doesn't want any people – or nations – to perish (see 2 Peter 3:9). I believe He is evaluating nations right now and He wants you to know that He has seen the seeds you've sown into the earth!

It's a Fullness of Time Moment!

Even now, I prophesy, "British Isles and Europe, it's time for you to reap what you have sown into the nations of the earth!" What have you sown? I believe the Holy Spirit told me, "They have sown revival and reformation into the four corners of the earth."

The King James Version of Galatians 6:7 uses the terminology of sowing and reaping. I like how the New Living Translation puts it: "...You will always harvest what you plant." Europe and UK: for many years, you have been planting and seeding Heaven's agenda as you have sown revival and reformation across the globe. God sees and God remembers.

Heaven has taken account and it's now a fullness of time moment where what you have sown, you will reap. (Photo via Pixabay)

I was born in the USA and I presently live in Texas. While I believe in a healthy love for one's homeland and nation, I also believe it's vital to express our appreciation to other nations for how their spiritual investments have impacted our nations. I write as a citizen of the United States right now, desiring to give honor to how your nations have touched the planet!

I'm grateful for the correspondence that Evan Roberts had with Intercessor Frank Bartleman in Los Angeles, as I have no doubt that what God was doing in Wales (Welsh Revival) in 1904 somehow jumped over the ocean and had a measurable impact on birthing the Azusa Street Revival of 1906. Wales, it's time for a fresh outpouring!

I'm grateful for the Smith sisters for praying a mighty outpouring of God's Spirit into the Hebrides Islands back in 1949 during the Lewis Awakening/Hebrides Revival. God sees Scotland, and I believe His movement in that nation is evidenced by the powerful prophetic community that is being raised up there!

I'm grateful for how Evangelist Steve Hill (Brownsville Revival) was touched by the power of God at Holy Trinity Brompton (in 1995) and that touch of God was powerfully released on Father's Day 1995 in Pensacola, FL.

England, it's time. There are an increasing number of churches that carry the fire of the Holy Spirit throughout the country. My friends with the Ramp (a youth and young adults ministry based in Hamilton, AL) have received a mandate to build a church in Manchester. The Lord says, "Look around! Consider the activity of My Spirit, both overt and covert, for this activity is evidence that I am moving and My movement will only increase."

Justified by Grace

I'm grateful for what God exported out of Germany through a priest named Martin Luther. Because of his impact, we recognize that through the Blood of Jesus we have direct access to God Himself. We are justified by grace through faith.

I'm grateful for the reformation culture exported out of Geneva, Switzerland under John Calvin, which gives us a powerful picture of a city under the influence of Kingdom ideas.

I think of George Jeffreys, the Welsh evangelist who operated in signs, wonders and miracles and founded Elim Pentecostal Church. It's interesting how this evangelist had a direct impact and influence on German-born evangelist, Reinhard Bonnke.

Time prevents me from going through revival and reformation history, person by person, recognizing the global, spiritual impact of European and British leaders on the nations of the earth. For all you've sown, it's time to reap. So, how do we respond to this prophetic word?

Here are Some Strategies to Pray Through and Act Upon:

• We agree with prophetic words through prayer and intercession. We do not agree with the secularism and darkness we see having influence on these nations. We don't pretend the problems aren't there in the name of faith; we simply pray based on what God is saying about Europe and the British Isles.

Don't pray the problem; pray the solution.

• We volunteer to be "sent ones," released into the harvest. By and large, this does not mean you are called to "minister" in a church setting; you are called to be the Church in whatever sphere of influence, job, trade, or educational institution you've been assigned to. The Lord is building His Church; it just looks a whole lot different than we think. You are filled with the Holy Spirit to go to the people and places in your sphere of influence and function as a prophetic problem-solver. For as you deliver solutions to the problems and crises that have stumped everyone else, you will be given platforms to reveal the "Source" of your supernatural solutions: the Holy Spirit, Christ in you! (Photo via Pexels)

• We make room for the Holy Spirit in our local church gatherings. It's impossible to see culture shift without a local church that maintains an open atmosphere to the supernatural movement of the Spirit. I prophesy, Europe and UK – may the fire of God burn strong in your churches! I even see some of the ancient landmarks of faith, the cathedrals and beautiful sanctuaries of old, coming alive again with the fire of God.

• I see intercessors and prophets becoming key voices in this season, as you will be receiving prayer strategies from Heaven that you are called to prophesy and decree over your cities, regions, and nations.

• The Spirit of the Lord will sovereignly remind you of past promises and prophecies for your cities and nations. These words were never meant to become "forgotten things," they are Heaven-sent strategies to help us effectively pray and war in the spirit for the destinies of our nations.

• I specifically see people praying over the ground in these nations, declaring: "Spring up, oh well!" (see Numbers 21:17). The Lord is saying, "My Bride will once again sing the 'song of the well'" in Europe and the British Islands." (To Subscribe to the Elijah List subscribe here.)

Larry Sparks, MDiv
Equip Culture
Email: equipculture@gmail.com
Website: www.LarrySparksMinistries.com

Larry Sparks is a prophetic author, speaker, and lecturer on revival. He presently serves as publisher for Destiny Image (destinyimage.com), a Spirit-filled publishing house pioneered by Don Nori Sr. in 1983 with a mandate to publish the prophets. Larry is fueled by a vision to help the Church community create space for the Holy Spirit to move in freedom, power and revival fire, providing every Believer with an opportunity to have a life-changing encounter in the Presence of God. 

In addition, Larry is a regular contributor to Charisma Magazine, he conducts seminars on revival, hosts regional Renewing South Florida gatherings, and has been featured on Sid Roth's It's Supernatural, TBN, CBN, the ElijahList, and Cornerstone TV. He is author of Breakthrough Faith, The Fire That Never Sleeps with Michael Brown and John Kilpatrick, compiler of Ask for the Rain, and co-author of Arise with Patricia King. He earned a Master of Divinity from Regent University and enjoys life in Texas with his beautiful wife and beloved daughter.

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'Holy Spirit Just Overcame Me': Behind the Scenes on 'Unplanned' - BILLY HALLOWELL CHARISMA NEWS

(Ashley Bratcher/Facebook)

'Holy Spirit Just Overcame Me': Behind the Scenes on 'Unplanned'

4/12/2019 BILLY HALLOWELL  CHARISMA NEWS

Unplanned star Ashley Bratcher has been vocal about her pro-life views in the wake of the movie's success, taking to social media to weigh in on the abortion debate. Bratcher, who plays real-life abortion clinic worker-turned pro-life activist Abby Johnson, recently revealed some of the on-set Unplanned prayer moments that she believes deeply inspired the cast and crew.

One of the most powerful scenes in Unplanned—a film currently showing in theaters across America—comes when Bratcher portrays the moment Johnson experienced complications from taking an abortion pill. The actress recently told PureFlix.com's "Pure Talk" that the scene was the "most difficult" to perform—but that prayer made a massive impact.

READ ALSO: Ex-Planned Parenthood Director on the Moment She Fled Her Clinic

"I have never felt closer to God than I did on that set," she said. "It was so anointed."

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Watch Bratcher reveal the stunning impact of prayer:

Bratcher said she went on set before filming the scene to get a feel for the room, and that's when she experienced something truly powerful.

"I walk into the set, and when I did, the presence of the Holy Spirit just overcame me," Bratcher said. "I wanted to just fall to my knees in that moment and cry. It was so overwhelming. I had no idea that the team had been praying over that set."

Then, when it came time to film the immensely emotional scene, prayer once again took form.

READ ALSO: Abby Johnson Reveals Shocking Impact of 'Unplanned'

"It was the most difficult scene to film, and what I didn't know is that our prayer team, other crew, cast members were standing on the outside of the wall with their hands on the wall, praying the entire time," Bratcher said.

The actress also shared the journey she took toward playing Johnson, noting that she didn't know much about the pro-life activist before agreeing to the role.

Listen to Johnson reveal why she fled Planned Parenthood:

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"I looked her up, and when I heard her real testimony, that was when I was floored," she said. "I was blown away."

But it wasn't only Johnson's testimony that shocked Bratcher; it was also the realities of abortion. Before taking the role, the actress admitted that she was "blind" and didn't know what an abortion procedure entailed.

READ ALSO: Inspired by 'Unplanned'? 5 Pro-Life Movies You Can Watch Now

"I think most of America really doesn't know what it looks like, and that's why people are so on the fence, and that's how I was," she said. "And watching [Abby Johnson] transform throughout the script was the most beautiful thing."

Bratcher was also dealt another surprise when she called her mother to tell her about her decision to take the role. After Bratcher explained the plot, her mom started crying and revealed something that she had never shared with Bratcher before: She almost aborted the actress, but changed her mind at the last minute and left the clinic.

Bratcher, who became emotional while discussing the story, believes God had a profound purpose for her life.

READ ALSO: Doctor Who Performed 1,200 Abortions Reveals What Stopped Him

"It just proves to me that God is so great, and He really did plan my steps from conception to this moment to bring my story full circle to align with Abby's," she said.

As for whether she was scared to take on Planned Parenthood and the issue of abortion, Bratcher was resolute: "My identity is in Jesus Christ."

We'll leave you with an interview with Dr. Anthony Levatino, a gynecologist who performed around 1,200 first- and second-trimester abortions early in his career before a stunning change of heart transformed him into an outspoken pro-life advocate. He plays an abortion doctor in "Unplanned," and his personal story is incredible:

This article was originally published on Pure Flix Insider. Visit Pure Flix for access to thousands of faith and family-friendly movies and TV shows. You can get a free, one-month trial here.

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Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

Great Resources to help you excel in 2019! #1 John Eckhardt's "Prayers That..." 6-Book Bundle. Prayer helps you overcome anything life throws at you. Get a FREE Bonus with this bundle. #2 Learn to walk in the fullness of your purpose and destiny by living each day with Holy Spirit. Buy a set of Life in the Spirit, get a second set FREE.

Half of Pastors Afraid of Speaking on Controversial Issues, Offending Congregation - CALEB PARKE/FOX NEWS

Half of Pastors Afraid of Speaking on Controversial Issues, Offending Congregation

5:00PM EDT 4/11/2019 CALEB PARKE/FOX NEWS

A new study shows that half of American pastors worry about preaching on hot-button social issues—like abortion and LGBTQ issues—worried they might offend someone.

Pastor Corey Brooks, Pastor Michael Youssef and Pastor Ron Lewis open up on Fox & Friends about the pressures facing worship leaders around the nation after the Barna Group published the results earlier this year.

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• 80 Percent of Pastors Believe This About Illegal Immigration
• 7 Reasons Pastors Stay Silent in Our Wicked Culture

While the majority of pastors agree their job is to help Christians have biblical beliefs about specific issues, many feel added pressure from outside and within the church and are struggling to figure out how to communicate in the public sphere.

Click here to read the rest of this story from Fox News.

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Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

Great Resources to help you excel in 2019! #1 John Eckhardt's "Prayers That..." 6-Book Bundle. Prayer helps you overcome anything life throws at you. Get a FREE Bonus with this bundle. #2 Learn to walk in the fullness of your purpose and destiny by living each day with Holy Spirit. Buy a set of Life in the Spirit, get a second set FREE.

8 Ways to Encourage the Flow of the Holy Spirit - J. LEE GRADY CHARISMA MAGAZINE

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8 Ways to Encourage the Flow of the Holy Spirit

4/10/2019 J. LEE GRADY

(Vitaly Vitorsky)

I'm grateful for my friend Quentin Beard, who pastors one of the fastest growing churches in South Dakota—Sioux Falls First Assembly. Because Quentin wants his congregation to experience the Holy Spirit, he scheduled a special weekend of meetings so that people could be baptized in the Holy Spirit, get healing prayer and receive personal prophetic ministry.

The day before the event, I asked Quentin if we could have a larger-than-normal bottle of oil on the altar near the stage. Most churches just have a small cruet or vial of oil; I wanted more, so one of the church's pastors filled a half-gallon bottle. The quantity of oil was prophetic in itself, because the Lord visited us in power. Many people were filled with the Spirit during those three days.

Are you hungry for more of the Holy Spirit in your church? It's time to stop limiting His power.

Everywhere I go, I hear pastors asking how they can we encourage the freedom of the Holy Spirit in a church culture that has become increasingly scripted, scheduled and controlled right down to the nanosecond. The essence of Pentecost, which came "suddenly," was its unpredictability. But there seems to be no room for God's sudden surprises when we already have our sermons planned out for the next six months.

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Related Articles

• Jen Ledger Shares the Radical Holy Spirit Movement and Prophecy That Changed Her Life Forever
• Why God Wants to Baptize You With His Holy Spirit

Here are eight practical things we can do to encourage the freedom of Pentecost in our churches:

1. Teach about the Holy Spirit often.The Holy Spirit was rarely mentioned in the church I grew up in, so we never expected Him to do anything. Yet He is described in the second verse of the Bible as "moving" upon the surface of the newly created world (Gen. 1:2), and He has one of the last messages in the Bible (see Rev. 22:17). He moves and He speaks throughout the Scriptures! But we must invite Him to move and speak by giving Him the place He deserves.

2. Leave room for personal prayer ministry. A church without altar ministry is like a hospital without a maternity ward. New life begins at the altar—whether it is salvation, healing, prophetic ministry or the impartation of a fresh anointing. Today many churches that offer multiple services often skimp on ministry time because they are focused on herding the 10 a.m. group out of the sanctuary to get ready for the 11:30 a.m. crowd. Multiple services are fine, but we are crowding the Spirit out of the church if we don't schedule time for people to respond to the message.

3. Have small groups where people can use the Holy Spirit's gifts. It's not practical for everyone to prophesy or exercise other spiritual gifts in a large congregation. But if people are plugged into small groups, there will be opportunities for believers to encourage one another in supernatural ways. And people are more comfortable stepping out in faith in front of 10 people than they are in front of 3,000.

4. Train people in prophecy, healing and Spirit-led ministry. Many pastors clamp down on the operation of spiritual gifts because a few fanatics with inflated egos like to pull the church into weirdness. But in our effort to protect the sheep from deception, let's not pull the pendulum to the other extreme by forbidding the gifts of the Spirit. The genuine power of God will flow if we teach people the difference between authentic anointing and strange fire.

5. Offer "teaching moments" to explain the gifts of the Spirit. I've been in churches where Brother Herschel or Sister Agnes prophesied in such a harsh, condemning tone that everyone in the church let out a collective groan. Their "words from God" had the same effect on the congregation as fingernails on a chalkboard. We cannot just ignore these moments and move on. When the Corinthians mishandled speaking in tongues and prophecy in the first century, the apostle Paul used their mistakes as an opportunity to teach about how to use gifts properly.

6. Expose your church to healthy ministries that flow in the anointing. God has raised up thousands of prophets who have not bowed their knees to the Baals of exploitation, greed and gimmicks. We need life-giving traveling ministries because God sends them to win new converts, heal the sick, unleash prophetic power, train leaders and impart new vision in congregations. We should not be afraid to expose our churches to men and women of character who are called to minister in the supernatural.

7. Give time for testimonies of God's supernatural power. Nothing raises the faith level of a congregation like someone's raw experience with God. If a man was healed this week in your church, let him shout it from the housetops. If an infertile couple got pregnant, let them tell about the goodness of God. Stories of supernatural intervention trigger a holy expectation in everyone—and God gets the glory for His miracles.

8. Preach about holiness. Let's never forget that the Holy Spirit is holy. Many churches today have stopped warning God's people about the dangers of sin, so we don't confront anymore. We've figured out that people will pack the house if we give them sugary-sweet motivational pep talks that never step on toes. By avoiding the tough topics, we've essentially told the Holy Ghost to take a hike.

We will be celebrating Pentecost in a few weeks. Let's fling open the doors and allow the Spirit to have His way. Instead of being afraid of what He might disrupt or whom He might offend, let's rather fear what our churches would be like without Him.

J. Lee Grady was editor of Charisma for 11 years before he launched into full-time ministry in 2010. Today he directs The Mordecai Project, a Christian charitable organization that is taking the healing of Jesus to women and girls who suffer abuse and cultural oppression. Author of several books including 10 Lies the Church Tells Women, he has just released his newest book, Set My Heart on Fire, from Charisma House. You can follow him on Twitter at @LeeGrady or go to his website, themordecaiproject.org.

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Great Resources to help you excel in 2019! #1 John Eckhardt's "Prayers That..." 6-Book Bundle. Prayer helps you overcome anything life throws at you. Get a FREE Bonus with this bundle. #2 Learn to walk in the fullness of your purpose and destiny by living each day with Holy Spirit. Buy a set of Life in the Spirit, get a second set FREE.

'Every American's Right': Christian Farmers Fight Back After Being Banned for Biblical Marriage Beliefs - CBN News Emily Jones

The Tennes family's Country Mill Farms has been blocked from their local farmers market over their biblical beliefs about marriage (Photo: Screen capture)

'Every American's Right': Christian Farmers Fight Back After Being Banned for Biblical Marriage Beliefs

04-11-2019

CBN News Emily Jones

A pair of Christian farmers who were banned from their local farmers market in 2016 for choosing not to host a gay wedding on their personal farm are taking their battle to court this week. 

Steve and Bridget Tennes, owners of Country Mill Farms, are asking for a permanent court order forcing the city of East Lansing, Michigan to let them sell their products at the city's farmer's market. 

The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) will represent the Tennes family in court this Friday. According to ADF, the City of Lansing blocked the Christian family from selling their products after reading on the Country Mill Farms' Facebook page that they support biblical marriage and will not allow LGBTQ weddings in their orchards. 

Related

---

City Goes Out of Its Way to Punish Farmer for Biblical Stance on Marriage

Farm Couple Fined Thousands for Declining Gay Wedding

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"Our family farm here is very personal to us," Steve Tennes said in a statement on the ADF website. "One of the things we really enjoy about our family farm here is (that) we are able to raise our five children here at the farm in accordance with our faith." 

In 2017, a federal judge issued a preliminary order forcing the city to allow the Tennes family to participate in the farmers market and said the city most likely violated their religious and free speech rights. 

According to NBC News, East Lansing Mayor Mark Meadows said that temporary ruling only covered the 2017 market season. Meadows also said the city opposes the Tennes' "corporate decision-making," not their religious beliefs.

"This doesn't have anything to do with Mr. Tennes," Meadows said. "This has to do with the business."

ADF Legal Counsel Kate Anderson strongly disagrees. 

"All Americans should be free to live and speak according to their deeply held religious beliefs without fear of government punishment," said Anderson. "Yet East Lansing officials changed their market policy to shut out Steve Tennes because they don't like his Catholic beliefs regarding marriage. Courts have repeatedly rejected these types of practices as unconstitutional discrimination."

Steve and Bridget Tennes are military veterans and hope their case will help preserve the freedoms of other Americans. 

"This isn't just about our ability to sell at the farmer's market. It's really about every American's right to make a living and not have to worry about being punished by the government," Steve said.

Did you know?

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