Hello, my name is Darren Ronson. I lead Garden Church in Long Beach, California. This is the Bridgetown Daily.

First of all, I love you, Bridgetown Church. I love all of you up there in Portland and listening from afar.

You are family to us here in Long Beach. I'm so thankful for all the ways that you lead.

So many of us outside of just your local context. John Mark is a good friend and I love you, bro.

I just want to say that publicly here and now. So thankful for your leadership, your wisdom, and your friendship over the past several, several years.

I want to begin this time praying just a blessing. So would you just open up your heart and your hands if you would wherever you are and just post yourself in a way that you could receive this blessing?

Father, would you bless my brothers and sisters listening today?

I pray through the power of your Holy Spirit, you would comfort and strengthen, expand, and in live in my brothers and sisters with greater depth of knowledge and wisdom.

I pray for an experiential encounter of grace, of love, of mercy, and of joy today.

I pray that you would increase our capacity to know you and to live your way.

I pray you would bring your life, life of the kingdom, wherever we are, as it is in heaven.

Well, amen.

So, John Mark asked if I would add some thoughts to what you guys are doing and I'm so thankful for this daily podcast. So he said to do whatever's on my heart.

And right now, my heart has been filled with this book called Revelation. So I thought I'd read from Revelation and just share a couple of thoughts for you to think about today.

Revelation chapter 2 verse 1 says this,

These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lamp stands.

I know your deeds, your hard work, and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.

You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name and have not grown weary.

Let's just pause right there for a second.

It says in the context of this letter,

that there's a church and Ephesus receiving this from the Apostle John.

So the context is John, the disciple, the beloved disciple, is writing this letter of revelation, this encounter with Jesus to encourage the seven churches in Asia Minor.

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