Myrtle House Podcast

At our Christmas morning service, we reflected on the beautiful words of the classic carol: “Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, Born this happy morning; Jesus, to Thee be all glory given; Word of the Father, Now in flesh appearing. O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.” O Come, All Ye Faithful – John F. Wade, circa 1743 These words invite us to come...

This past Sunday, we celebrated the second Sunday of Advent, turning our focus to the beautiful theme of Peace. Bill Chapman shared a powerful and timely message on the Peace of God, reminding us that true peace begins with a relationship with God. The Meaning of Peace In Hebrew, the word for peace is “shalom”. It’s far more than the absence of conflict; it speaks of wholeness, integrity, perfecti...

This past Sunday, we gathered to celebrate the first Sunday of Advent by reflecting on hope—a central theme of our faith and a profound reminder of God’s promises to us. With voices from across our church sharing what hope means to them and how it is shaping their lives, it was an uplifting and inspiring time of worship and reflection. Advent is a season of anticipation and expectation, and it was...

Stirring Up Faith for the New Season By Myrtle House Community Church This past Sunday at Myrtle House, we were blessed with a powerful message from Ellen for Stir-Up Sunday. As the end of the year draws near, Ellen challenged us to reflect on what we’ve been doing with everything God has done in our lives. Are we merely holding on to His blessings, or are we allowing them to overflow and impact t...

What Jesus Did, He Wants to Do Through You By Myrtle House Community Church This past Sunday, we were deeply blessed by Julian Richards, Senior Leader of New Wine Cymru, who brought a transformative message. Julian challenged us to consider this simple yet profound truth: "Everything that Jesus did for people in the pages of Scripture, He wants to do for you—and through you." As followers of Chris...

Over recent weeks, we've journeyed together through themes of Sabbath, waiting on the Lord, and consecration. Today, Martin O’Brien calls us deeper into this journey by exploring holiness. We’re reminded that it’s all too easy to drift away from God’s presence, distracted by life’s demands, causing us to lose our focus on Him. Holiness, however, brings us back into alignment, helping us fix our ey...

In this week's message, Martin O'Brien delved into the theme of consecration as a pathway to shift our focus from worldly distractions back to deep devotion to God. Starting with a dictionary definition, Martin highlighted how distractions—anything that diverts our focus—act as obstructions in our spiritual journey. He emphasised the importance of consecration, or setting ourselves apart for God's...

In this week’s sermon, Martin O’Brien addresses the concept of drifting away from God and the need for consecration to find our way back. This message builds on recent sermons by both Martin and Bill, exploring the spiritual dangers of losing our course and how to correct it. The Danger of Drifting Martin explained that drifting can happen without us even realising it. Like a ship slowly pulled of...

In this week's message, Martin O'Brien explored the theme of Consecration, building on the previous weeks' sermons. He emphasised the importance of consecrating our lives to the Lord, which means devoting or setting apart ourselves for God's worship and service. This act of consecration involves intentionally resetting our lives, making room and space for God, and posturing ourselves to come befor...

Martin O’Brien’s message this week builds upon Bill Chapman's previous sermon on Waiting on God. Martin delved deeper into three key concepts: waiting on the Lord, pressing in, and lingering in His presence. Each of these, he explained, is vital to deepening our relationship with God. 1. Waiting Upon the Lord Martin encouraged the congregation to reflect on whether they truly wait upon the Lord. T...

Bill Chapman’s message centred on the theme of Waiting on God and the importance of being attuned to His presence and purpose. He began by sharing a personal thought: "Too many of my people see something that I am doing as unusual and they dismiss me and miss the angels." This highlighted how easily we overlook God's work when it doesn't align with our expectations. Bill urged the congregation to...

In this sermon, Bill Chapman draws on his love of sailing to illustrate how Jesus is the "steady keel" in our lives, keeping us on course amidst life's challenges. Using sailing imagery, he explains that just as a boat needs both a sail and a keel to navigate, we too need the right balance in our spiritual lives. The sail represents our character and our direction, while the keel represents Jesus,...

In this sermon, Martin O’Brien continued his teaching on the Sabbath, focusing on how we can practice it today. He emphasised that Sabbath-keeping can look different for everyone but remains vital for our spiritual and physical formation. Martin referenced Exodus 20:8-11 to highlight how Sabbath originated as one of the Ten Commandments, reminding us that God established this day of rest after cre...

In this sermon, Martin O’Brien explores the meaning, significance, and practice of the Sabbath, emphasising its roots in Scripture and its relevance for our lives today. 1. What is Sabbath? Sabbath, derived from the Hebrew word "shabbat," means to rest or cease from labor. It was established by God after creation, as seen in Genesis 2:2-3, when God rested on the seventh day, modeling the rhythm of...

This week, we concluded our journey through the Sermon on the Mount, focusing on the final verses of Matthew 7, where Jesus makes a distinction between those who listen to His teachings and those who merely hear them. The key question was: Are you listening, or are you just hearing? “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though th...

In this week’s message, we continued our exploration of the Sermon on the Mount, focusing on Jesus' teaching about the importance of cultivating spiritual fruit, particularly in relation to the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who a...

In this sermon, Joel Aston continued the exploration of the Sermon on the Mount, focusing on Matthew 7:13-14. The emphasis was on the importance of walking the narrow path and sharing the Gospel to guide others from the wide path to the narrow path. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate...

In our ongoing exploration of the Sermon on the Mount, we delved into Matthew 7, focusing on the profound importance of nurturing a close relationship with God through persistent prayer. “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to...

Today, we continued our exploration of the Sermon on the Mount, focusing on Matthew 7. This passage carries forward Jesus' themes of mercy, forgiveness, and righteousness, prompting us to examine the state of our hearts. Main Scripture: Matthew 7:1-6 (NLT) “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard...

In this week's message, Martin O’Brien continued our exploration of Matthew 6, building on the theme of whether we are living for heaven or for earth. He emphasised the importance of focusing on the Kingdom of God rather than earthly worries, challenging us to evaluate if we truly seek and live for God first. Key Scripture: Matthew 6:31-33 (NLT) "So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What wi...

In this week's sermon, Martin O’Brien guided us through Matthew 6, urging us to live in the "more than" and to release our anxieties over earthly matters. His message challenged us to examine our lives and our faith in God's provision. 25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your b...

Continuing our exploration of the Sermon on the Mount, Martin O’Brien highlighted how Jesus often presents teachings in sets of three, focusing this week on Matthew 6:19-24. This passage challenges us to examine our lives and the choices we make. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves tre...

Bill Chapman begins by emphasising the importance of our motives in practicing righteousness. He references Matthew 6, where Jesus teaches about giving to the needy, prayer, and fasting. Jesus warns against performing these acts for public admiration, which leads to losing the reward from our Father in heaven. Key Points: 1. Warning Against Hypocrisy: - Giving to the Needy: Jesus advises against g...

Bill Chapman delivered a powerful sermon urging the congregation to live honourably and avoid hypocrisy, focusing on Matthew 6. He emphasised that followers of Christ must embody sincerity and integrity in their actions, avoiding the trap of seeking admiration from others. Key Points: 1. Giving to the Needy (Matthew 6:1-4): - Jesus warns against performing good deeds publicly to gain admiration. -...

Ellen Chapman centered her sermon on the concluding words of the Sermon on the Mount, focusing on the concept of perfection from a biblical perspective. "But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:48 (NLT) Understanding Perfection: - Dictionary Definition: Having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, and characteristics; as good as it is possible t...