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In the beginning was the Word,\xa0and the Word was with God,\xa0and the Word was God.\xa0He was with God in the beginning.\xa0Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.\xa0In him was life,\xa0and that life was the light\xa0of all mankind\u2026 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him,\xa0the world did not recognize him.\xa0He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed\xa0in his name,\xa0he gave the right to become children of God\u2014\xa0children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband\u2019s will, but born of God. John 1:1-13 (NIV)

Jesus continued:\xa0\u201cThere was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, \u2018Father, give me my share of the estate.\u2019\xa0So he divided his property between them. \u201cNot long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth\xa0in wild living.\xa0After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.\xa0So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. \u201cWhen he came to his senses, he said, \u2018How many of my father\u2019s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned\xa0against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.\u2019 So he got up and went to his father. \u201cBut while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. \u201cThe son said to him, \u2018Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.\xa0I am no longer worthy to be called your son.\u2019 \u201cBut the father said to his servants, \u2018Quick! Bring the best robe\xa0and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger\xa0and sandals on his feet.\xa023\xa0Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let\u2019s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again;\xa0he was lost and is found.\u2019 So they began to celebrate. \u201cMeanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. \u2018Your brother has come,\u2019 he replied, \u2018and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.\u2019 \u201cThe older brother became angry\xa0and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.\xa0 But he answered his father, \u2018Look! All these years I\u2019ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.\xa0 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property\xa0with prostitutes\xa0comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!\u2019 \u201c\u2018My son,\u2019 the father said, \u2018you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.\xa0 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.\u2019\u201d Luke 15:11-32 (NIV)

IDENTITY and INHERITANCE are determined by the WILL.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,\xa0who has blessed us in the heavenly realms\xa0with every spiritual blessing in Christ.\xa0For he chose us\xa0in him before the creation of the world\xa0to be holy and blameless\xa0in his sight. In love\xa0he predestined\xa0us for adoption to sonship\xa0through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure\xa0and will\u2014\xa0to the praise of his glorious grace,\xa0which he has freely given us in the One he loves.\xa0 In him we have redemption\xa0through his blood,\xa0the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches\xa0of God\u2019s grace\xa0that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,\xa0he\xa0made known to us the mystery\xa0of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed\xa0in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment\u2014to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. In him we were also chosen,\xa0having been predestined\xa0according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose\xa0of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ\xa0when you heard the message of truth,\xa0the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal,\xa0the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance\xa0until the redemption\xa0of those who are God\u2019s possession\u2014to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:3-14 (NIV)

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,\xa0may give you the Spirit\xa0of wisdom\xa0and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened\xa0in order that you may know the hope to which he has called\xa0you, the riches\xa0of his glorious inheritance\xa0in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.\xa0Ephesians 1:17-19 (NIV)