St John’s Diamond Creek Talks

False Prophets || The Weeping Prophet || Jeremiah 23:15-32

This passage from the book of Jeremiah is basically a smackdown from God towards false prophets. Jeremiah, as a true prophet of God, received a message that was straight from God, for God's people. Kirk takes a look at how to spot a false prophet, and how we can test prophecies today.

Turning Around || The Weeping Prophet || Jeremiah 15:10-21

Have you ever felt let down by God?

God's Direction || The Weeping Prophet || Jeremiah 7:1-15

When Julie first moved to Melbourne, she bought thermals and wore them 11 months of the year; growing up in the NT and Far North Queensland meant she took a few years to acclimatise. At first, it was a shock to the system, but she got used to it in the end. Juda, similarly, acclimatised to changes in their society - changes that led them away from God.

Jeremiah's Dirty Job || The Weeping Prophet || Jeremiah 1:1-19

What's the worst job you've ever had? Jeremiah had a rough time, being called as a prophet of God as a teenager, he had some hard truths for God's people. God gave him words to "uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant" - most of those actions are pretty negative!
Tim Johnson begins our series "The Weeping Prophet".

Pleasure vs Joy || Songs of Joy || Psalm 97

Psalm 97 has a lot to say about joy. But what is joy? How is it different to pleasure? Kirk wraps up our series Songs of Joy, looking at the differences between joy and pleasure.

A Lifestyle of Praise || Songs of Joy || Psalm 96

Praising God is something that can feel easy when everything is going our way - but what happens when life throws challenges in our path? Julie gives us four reasons to praise God in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in.

Good Posture || Songs of Joy || Psalm 95

We had to learn heaps in 2020. From coughing into your elbow to scanning QR codes, there was lots of change. As we get back to some level of normality and we get to do things again (outbreaks notwithstanding), there's a sense of joy. 
This new series looks at three Psalms - songs from the Old Testament - featuring Joy. 
Tim looks at worshipping God, through song - praising him, through bowing and submitting to God, and through sitting - listening to God.

The Promised Land || Summer Stories || Deuteronomy 1:19-36

2020 brought challenges and plenty of lessons. Will we learn from those lessons, or just snap back to our lives from 2019?

Fishing with Jesus || Summer Stories || John 21:1-14

Julie leads us through a story about Jesus - a story of Jesus appearing to his followers after his death and resurrection and helping them find a haul of fish. 
What stands out to you in this story from John 21?
What do you like about this story?
What does this story show us about Jesus?
What does this story show us about people?
 

When Life Disappoints || Summer Stories || Mark 8:34 - 9:1

On New Years Eve, Tim and his family where holidaying. Spending time at the beach, shopping and hanging out. Then they got a call that the border between NSW and Victoria was closing. They needed to travel hundreds of kilometres on a moments' notice. They then needed to spend nearly two weeks in quarantine. 
Life throws curveballs in our direction all the time - even beyond living through a global pandemic.
How does Jesus suggest we live with challenges and disappointments? He certainly doesn't say that by following him life will be all rosey.