New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised

Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in scripture:

‘See, I am laying in Zion a stone,

To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,

‘The stone that the builders rejected

and

‘A stone that makes them stumble,

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

1 John 4:7-16

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Saviour of the world. God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.

God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.

John 14:1-4

Rev 7:9-17

Apologies for the various errors in the past few days. Hopefully I am back on track now!

I am sorry that I 'printed' this passage yesterday! I must have turned over two pages. If it makes any difference ... you can now subscribe to this podcast in the iTunes store.

24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.

Grant, Lord,

that we may hold to you without parting,

worship you without wearying,

serve you without failing;

faithfully seek you,

happily find you,

and forever possess you,

the only God,blessed now and for ever.

New International Version

24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.

Now may the God of peace,

New International Version

7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep

John 21

15So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus spoke to Simon Peter. ‘Simon, son of John,’ he said, ‘do you love me more than these?’ ‘Yes, Master,’ he said. ‘You know I’m your friend.’ ‘Well, then,’ he said, ‘feed my lambs.’ 16‘Simon, son of John,’ said Jesus again, for a second time, ‘do you love me?’ ‘Yes, Master,’ he said. ‘You know I’m your friend.’ ‘Well, then,’ he said, ‘look after my sheep.’ 17‘Simon, son of John,’ said Jesus a third time, ‘are you my friend?’ Peter was upset that on this third time Jesus asked, ‘Are you my friend?’ ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you know everything! You know I’m your friend!’ ‘Well, then,’ said Jesus, ‘feed my sheep. 18‘I’m telling you the solemn truth,’ he went on. ‘When you were young, you put on your own clothes and went about wherever you wanted. But when you are old, you’ll stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you up and take you where you don’t want to go.’ 19He said this to indicate the sort of death by which Peter would bring God glory. And when he had said this, he added, ‘Follow me!’

 The Bible for Everyone: A New Translation . SPCK. Kindle Edition. 

Thank you, dear Jesus,

Thomas More (c.1478-1535)

John 21:1-

21After this, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the sea of Tiberias. This was how he showed himself. 2Simon Peter, Thomas (known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples, were all together. 3Simon Peter spoke up.

‘I’m going fishing,’ he said. ‘We’ll go with you,’ they replied. So they went off and got into the boat; but that night they caught nothing. 4As dawn was breaking, Jesus stood beside the seashore, but the disciples didn’t know that it was Jesus. 5‘Children,’ said Jesus to them, ‘haven’t you got anything to eat?’ ‘No!’ they replied. 6‘Cast the net on the right side of the boat,’ he said, ‘and you’ll find something.’ So they cast the net; and now they couldn’t draw it in because of the weight of the fish. 7So the disciple that Jesus loved spoke to Peter. ‘It’s the master!’ he said. When Simon Peter heard that it was the master, he wrapped his cloak around him (he had been naked for work), and threw himself into the sea. 8The other disciples brought the boat in to land, dragging the net full of fish. They weren’t far from shore, about a hundred yards away. Breakfast by the shore 9When they came to land, they saw a charcoal fire laid there, with fish and bread on it. 10Jesus spoke to them. ‘Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,’ he said. 11So Simon Peter went and pulled the net onto the shore. It was full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three in all. The net wasn’t torn, even though there were so many. 12‘Come and have breakfast,’ said Jesus to them. None of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the master. 13Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so also with the fish. 14This was now the third time that Jesus had appeared to the disciples after he had been raised from the dead.

The Bible for Everyone: A New Translation . SPCK. Kindle Edition. 

Open my eyes to your presence

Open my ears to your call

Open my heart to you love

May I open my arms to others

May I open my heart to strangers

May I open my door to callers

That I may be open you you Lord

Open this day and for evermore