Forgive Us Our Debts,
As We Also Have Forgiven Our Debtors.

This is an extremely dangerous prayer to pray, but it contains a principle that the New Testament takes very seriously. The supreme warning from Jesus is that God will judge us according to how we have judged other people. Since man is saved by grace, what better evidence could there be of a man's salvation than that he offers others the grace he himself has received? If such grace is not conspicuous in our lives, we may validly question the genuineness of our own alleged conversion. We must take God seriously at this point. ... It is an insult to God for us to withhold forgiveness and grace to those who ask us, while claiming to be forgiven and saved by grace ourselves.

There is another important point to consider here. Even in our act of forgiveness there is no merit. We cannot commend ourselves to God and claim forgiveness merely cause we have shown forgiveness to someone else. Our forgiveness in no way obligates God toward us. ... We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.

The bottom line of what Jesus is saying is this: "Forgiven people forgive other people".

- Excerpt from Does Prayer Change Things - by R.C. Sproul.

The moment Jesus was on the cross, the sin of the world was imputed to Him as it was to the scapegoat. He became the incarnation of sin, the absolute paragon of obscenity.

Once sin was concentrated on Jesus, God cursed Him. When the curse of the law was poured out on Jesus, He experienced pain that had never been experienced in the annals of history. I have heard of graphic sermons about the excruciating pain of the nails in the hands, of hanging on a cross, and of the torturous dimensions of crucifixion. I am sure that they are all accurate and that it was a dreadful way to be executed, but thousands of people in world history have undergone the excruciating pain of crucifixion. Only one man has ever felt the pain of the fullness of the unmitigated curse of God upon Him. When he felt it, He cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34). Some say that he did to quote Psalm 22. Others say He was disoriented by His pain and didn't understand what was happening. God certainly did forsake Him. That is the whole point of the atonement. Without forsakenness, there is no curse. God at that moment in space and time, turned His back on His Son.

In the midst of His forsakenness, I doubt He was even aware of the nails in His hands or the thorns in His brow. He was cut off from the Father.

- Excerpt from Who is Jesus - by R.C. Sproul.

If anyone other than the divine knows your ins and outs better, it is your spouse. My wife, she knows me well, sees the changes in me and has the loving will to remind me to be a better person. She bought me a book and wrote the words below on the inside cover of the book. The book? Amusing ourselves to Death - by Neil Postman. This letter also reminds me of how far I had drifted from the things of God and the desire to seek his will. Praise God! Its Him who is the author and finisher of our faith!

Dear Anil,

I earnestly and strongly (if I may add) want you to read this book, this month. Please understand that I am not giving you this book because you are seeing TV. I heard pastors message and he recommending reading and has also mentioned how good this book is. I know in my heart that God gave you a brilliant mind. According to me you are real capable of becoming a theologian/philosopher/author and it hurts me to see you not reading any books. Like pastor says I don't want you to be an intellectual/spiritual pygmy. In our first years I used to admire your habit of reading. I wish and pray that God renews your desire. This is just an attempt of mine to get you started again. Maybe its the small step towards you writing books someday :), but not my desire but His will be done.

"The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
    and be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
    and give you peace."
- Numbers 6:24-26

with lots of love, your wife,
Sunila.

My God surely knows me! My dear wife knows me too!

We argue endlessly over matters of religion and philosophy, about ethics and politics, but each question must ultimately face the personal issue squarely: "What do I do about my sin?"

That I sin and that you sin is debated by none save the most dishonest of men. We sin. We violate each other. We assault the holiness of God. What hope do we have in such dreadful turmoil? We can deny our sin or even the existence of God. We can exclaim that we are not accountable for our lives. We can invent a God who forgives everybody without requiring repentance. All such avenues are established in delusion. There is but one who qualifies as Savior.

He (Jesus) alone has the ability to solve our most abysmal dilemma. He alone has the power of life and death. He alone has the credentials to offer atonement, to triumph over death, to reconcile people to God.

- Excerpt from Who is Jesus - by R.C. Sproul

"The boneless tongue, so small and weak,
    Can crush and kill," declares the Greek,
"The tongue destroys a greater horde,"
    The Turk asserts, "than does the sword."
The Persian proverb wisely saith,
    "A lengthy tongue - an early death!"
Or sometimes takes this form instead,
    "Do not let your tongue cut of your head."
"The tongue can speak a word whose speed,"
    Says the Chinese, "outstrips the steed."
The Arab sages said in part,
    "The tongue's great storehouse is the heart."
From Hebrew was the maxim sprung,
    "Thy feet should slip, but ne'er the tongue."
The sacred writer crowns the whole,
    "Who keeps the tongue doth keep his soul."

- Illustrations Unlimited - James S. Hewitt
(via Disciplines of a Godly Man - by R. Kent Hughes.)

The year 2009 has been quite eventful. A watershed year for the Levi finances.

Looks like the wind of change
has slapped you in the head,
your emotions jaded,
and memory seems to have faded.

The clouds of gloom,
still over us loom,
the cloak of darkness I pray
be lifted with the dawn of day.

Alas O history,
its still a mystery,
For each other we still hunker,
instead of heading for the bunker.

The emotional scar,
is way too far,
after all this pain,
there still is no gain.

My lovely wife is so dear,
her well being is all I fear,
she'll make do with a blog
and mp3s on her ipod.

Broken is the record,
with all this discord,
I think its time to put an end,
to this Shahiri my friend.

- A poem by yours truly.

Life with my son Daniel is amazing. It is a blessing I cannot explain. Seems like me and Sunila cannot comprehend what life would be without him. Life before he was born is a distant memory. There are times when Danny comes up with some very funny and/or thoughtful comments. I guess I've already forgotten many but I'd like to start saving some memories in these pages.

Some from the past ...

(April 2009)

• My middle name is "Kookintow".
• To Mom - "I love you so much. As a flower".
  

(March 2009)

• Eating at the dining table, "Dad, why don't bikes have seat belts?"
• Mom is surfing the net. Danny comes over and asks, "Mom, are you going dot com on me?"
• Early in the morning Danny comes over to Mom in bed and asks, "Wanna wake up Sweety?"
• Danny - "Mom why are you vegetarian? Is it because someone killed the goat?" Mom - "Yes". Danny - "But we didn't kill the goat, Daddy didn't kill the goat, its already dead."
• Mom's eating a boiled egg and Danny goes - "Mom you are eating a baby chicken!".
• Early in the morning - Mom encourages him to brush his teeth, "Danny you need to keep your teeth white, you need to brush". Danny - "Why do teeth have to be white? I want black teeth!"
  

- (Feb 2009) - Shopping in an elegant "ladies" perfume store, the mood was very peaceful, very serene. Danny suddenly blares, "Dad, why is blood red? I want my blood to be black!"
- (Jan 2009) - Out of the blue in the car, "Who is older than God?"
- (Jan 2009) - Dan had to stop playing his DS to go to the potty. Sitting on the potty eager to get back to his game, he asks me, "Dad, why did God have to make butts?"

- (Dec 2008) - During Christmas on finding out that we were celebrating the birth of Jesus -"How old is Jesus?"
- (Nov 2008) - Mom making conversation, "Do you play with girls at the daycare? If you do, be nice to girls, they are gentle. Be nice to Brooke, she is just like Sarah baby." After a pause, Danny says, "Yes, she is like Sarah baby." Mom, "Why re?". Danny - "She shows her butt."

- (Sept 2007) - Writing A-Z, small a-o, numbers 1-30, learning to add.
- (Sept 2007) - His first awana class was Sept 9th and he cried entire time. Mom asked him why he cried after the class and he replied - "I was sad and my heart was broken for you!"
- (Sept 2007) - Mom complained of headache and he immediately started pressing her head. Mom said, "God bless you re" and he retorts, "... and also save me from hell!".
- (Sept 10th, 2007) - Mom was troubling him and he responds "Don't irritate me mom".
- (Aug 2007) - Told Anil - "Tell your coworkers you are naked". We were surprised by the use of the word "coworkers".
- (Aug 2007) Before we went to sleep, he said "I like mom better than you dad" but was sorry that he was hurting Anil by saying that.

- (Sep 20th, 2006) - Writes from A-L.
Favorite song: My Savior, My God - Aaron Shust.
Favorite food: Noodles made by Anil
Favorite shirt: Superman shirts
Troubles: Eating omelet in the mornings gets pinched and raises BP for both of us.
Calls Mom: Sweety pie.

- (2005) - Mom was narrating the story of Adam and Eve, talked about them being banished from the Garden of Eden after they sinned. After some thought he asks, "Mom, did God gave Adam and Eve a timeout?"

- (about year and a half old) - We passed by a farm everyday on the way to his daycare. One day he saw a cow going poo poo out in the field. He thoughtfully said, "Mom, the Moo Moo needs a diaper."

All About Communication

The answer is not technology. Technology changes but the one constant is human communication. your career opportunity is your ability to use the principles of effective human communication to create connections and make things happen. Information is not communication.

Leaders become the face or human connection of an organization. They "connect" with people. They communicate values. Act consistently with those values. Communicate respect and concern. They tell the truth.

(1) Is it Correct?

Lying at work (or spin) drains us and enrages us. Your challenge as a communicator is to regain trust in a culture "spinning" out of control. We lose trust when someone lies in our presence - even if not to us specifically. Nothing makes believe you when you're right like admitting when you're wrong. Nothing earns more respect then seeing someone's confidence in owning up to their blunders, decisions, or poor performance. There's tremendous power in being known as a person who tells the truth. Straight. Unvarnished. Direct.

Maturity brings the realization that what people think matters a great deal. Wise communicators do reality checks often.

(2) Is it Complete?

Good communicators can't be cavalier about giving complete information.

- Explain your reasoning behind decisions. People may not agree but at least they will be glad to know what they are.
- Communicate the "how". After you state the "what" we should be doing, explain "how" we will be getting there.
- Be relevant. The same information means different things to different people. Think about what your information means to your audience.
- Mention the measures you are tracking.
- Don't hide behind technology. Pick up the phone or walk down the hall to talk/communicate.
- Tell Bad News Promptly. Time is essential to mitigate the damage. If some action or inaction on your part has caused the problem, explain what steps you've taken to date to correct the situation. Shoulder any responsibility that's yours.
- Frame negative news positively when you can do so honestly. If your team sees the glass half empty, you have every right and obligation to help them see it as half full.
- Never fear to be fallible.

(3) Is it Clear?

- Beware of the blank stare. Revisit your pitch/message/demo/talk/etc. Ask the basic question - Do people "get it"? Do they understand the goal - the what, the why and the how?
- Clear messages start with clear words. Clear words lead to clear action.
- Some Negatives - (a) A false sense of professionalism (Using big words and long sentences) (b) Elevating the importance of what we do (Using jargon to create meaning out of the mundane) (c) Phoniness and Insincerity (d) Ignorance on a subject (Using buzz words to cover up) (e) Intimidation (Using jargon and buzz words and making the message fuzzy)
- Use Plain English
- Start with the Punch Line - Summarize right away and follow with the background explanation. People will never understand the background without knowing your point.
- Be Specific - Words have meaning and carry the crux of conversation. Selection is essential to understanding and agreement. Choose the precise word. Nail down the specifics.
- Avoid Template drudgery - Templates save time and ensure consistency. Nevertheless they should serve as a starting point and not the finished product.
- Provide Context -
- Assume at your Own risk - Make the message clear, explicit and straight forward. Let it not be tacit.
- Body language - Confidence matters. Words never carry the complete message. Messages come from relationship, timing, tone of voice, what was said, and body language. All these things together comprise the total message that people "hear".
- Adapt your style to the person and purpose - Be aware of the culture context - High culture (Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, Greek, Spanish, Italian, English, French) - Low culture (American, Scandinavian, German and Swiss-German). Respect your audience and their time.
- Be Repetitious - Why? People hear what they expect to hear. They don't hear what they don't want to hear. To overcome that natural tendency to tune out, you'll need to repeat your message in multiple ways, at different times, using different methods to get your point across.

(4) It is purposefully Unclear?

To some extent, tact and evasion make civilization and camaraderie possible. But purposeful evasion as a rule, over time - where harmony is valued above honest communication - destroys trust, erodes morale, and lowers productivity.

A good leadership mindset - Share and Compare - Leaders with this mindset communicate information and their conclusions drawn about that information: their vision, goals, strategies, and initiatives. they ask for and listen for input from others before setting all decisions, policies, and plans in stone. Then they keep their ears to the ground for necessary course corrections as new information, better ideas, and varied viewpoints surface. They make as much effort to hear as to be heard, and they encourage other people to talk to each other about best practices.

Being direct is harder with emotionally immature and defensive employees. Feedback feels uncomfortable to many people. As long as face-saving remains the goal and culture, people will face a dilemma: Shall we be silent and save the relationship? Or communicate honestly and solve the problem?

Decide to be direct rather than play dodge ball - Difficult conversation stalls for many reasons: defensiveness, emotional immaturity, poor performance, fear of losing your star performers, fear of admitting personal mistakes, disgruntled customers. Honest conversation leads to respect, accountability, change and results.

Eliminate Euphemisms that elude meaning or action - Simply put yourself on the listening end of the project you're about to delegate. What comes to mind? ... No matter the difficulty of your message, say it. If you want action , state it.

(5) Is it Consistent?

Some people may doubt what you say, but they will always believe what you do. You communicate by - the policies you enforce, the behavior you reward, where you spend your money, where you spend your time ... Or NOT. As a leader, your challenge is to make sure everything synchs - what you say with what you do.

Double-Check the details - If you are a knowledge worker, words are the commerce of ideas. Attention to detail reflects an attitude of quality, commitment, and consistency communicated to customers. When somebody says, "I'm not a detail person" - Watch out! Attention to detail creates an overall message - one that's either consistent or not. and that message communicates volumes to others about the quality of work you expect from them.

The promises have to sync up somewhere. If you say you'll send the report, SEND THE REPORT. If you say you'll call, CALL. If you say you'll arrange a meeting, ARRANGE THE MEETING. Credible communicators follow through with what they promise - or stop promising.

Enforce the rules you write - Inconsistency fosters resentment. Consistency in applying policies of any kind builds trust.

Reward what you want - Let people know that they can count on you to notice - every time - and reward them consistently according to contributions that matter the most. Communicate appreciation and recognition by your rewards.

Live your lines - Embody your words. Demonstrate your values. Respect for individuals should rank high on your list. Model your words and values. Just as actors do, become the character that you play on the job. Better yet, make your role your autobiography.

(6) Are you Credible?

It may be all about you. If people don't think you're personally credible, your message won't matter.

Five things either contribute or detract from people's inclination to believe you:
- The Look - Appearance and physical presence.
- The Language - Words you choose, how well you think.
- The Likeability Factor - Your personality and Chemistry.
- Character - Your values and integrity.
- Competence - Your skill and track record.

The Look - Dress to feel confident, be comfortable, and cover yourself. Look successful at what you do. Make your body language relaxed, not rigid. Your posture, movement, gestures and mannerisms should command attention when you speak but convery the message that you are approachable. Your eyes convey the strongest message.

The Language - Language showcases or cracks your case for credibility.
- word choice (formal, precise, clear, etc),
- sentence structure (simple or convoluted),
- the ability to express ideas concisely and clearly both off-the-cuff and with forethought,
- the ability to respond to challenging questions with poise, tact and authority.
- be authentic.

The Likeability factor - To be heard you have to make people like you. People believe people they like.
- Show your humanity - Audiences have more in common with those who struggle than with those who succeed in life. People respond to humans much more favorably than to machines.
- Share a sense of humor - Self-deprecating humor can open hearts and minds to make people receptive to ideas in ways words alone cannot.
- Show humility - Power can be seductive. Praise pushes peoples buttons ... and an act of arrogance can destroy an otherwise credible communicator. (a) Let other people take the stage. (b) Let other people feel important (c) Get input from others (d) Share the limelight (e) Share leadership roles

(7) Are You Concerned and Connected?

It is better to speak from a full heart and an empty head than from a full head and an empty heart. - Dublin Opinion.

Connect with People as People - Leaders who show they care about people as individuals - not as employees, suppliers, or customers - make a connection.

Engage - Don't just report the news. Your people don't want a news story on what "they" said. They want your perspective on what "you" heard.

Listen like you care - Acknowledge that you hear what others communicate to you - both verbally and non-verbally. Communicate concern through your words and body language. Listening means focusing on the other person with sincere, not just polite, interest - not just waiting your turn to talk.

Act on what you Hear and Report on what you've Done.

(8) Is it Current?

Language is the machinery of the new age.

Speed in accessing information suggests status. The plan for getting information to your team has to be efficient and quick. Delay is deadly. Delayed information means decisions are placed on hold and productivity takes a nose dive. Delay decays morale.

Send information at the point of relevance or not at all.

(9) Does your communication make you look Competent?

When creating your message - focus on - What's your point? Once you've determined your real purpose, you can shape your one-sentence message as a road map.

Translate concepts like "Vision", "Strategy" into specifics. Make your facts tell a story. Do not leave it for interpretation, else each one in the audience will interpret a new one.

Create impact with stories. Stories make it stronger. Make sure the point deserves a story. Use analogies and metaphors to drive Emotion and Deepen understanding.

Persuasion - Be clear about your purpose. Do not leave it to the listener to draw conclusions. You are expected to take a point of view about the information you provide. The four S's of persuasion:
- Solid Facts.
- Sound Logic.
- Straightforward Language.
- Strong Structure.

Make your bottom line your opening line, cause
- It is difficult to understand the details if you don't have a summary of the big-picture details.
- Attention wanes quickly.
- People expect applicable messages.

Be passionate - Take your personality with you when you present your ideas. Our passion rises and falls based on what is at stake. Your audience understands that concept all too well. They take their cues from you.

Recommend rather than report - The reason someone asked you the question is that you're the expert. They want your expert opinion. Communicate the next action as clearly as the problem and you'll certainly be a leader. Whether you're walking into the boardroom or the client's office, be ready to state a viewpoint or offer a recommendation.

Be careful in emailing - know what Never to put in an email.

Pay attention to Punctuation and Grammar - The ability to write clearly is no small matter. Those who write and speak competently get attention. Your writing and speaking reflect your thinking. How well you organize your ideas. If you can sort the significant from the trivial. How quickly you think on your feet. How clearly and concisely you explain things and respond to issues.

Everyday the world judges your competence by what you say and write.

(10) Is it Circular?

The true spirit of conversation consists in building on another's observation, not overturning it.

Lead from the Front Lines not the Sidelines.
- Be involved with them rather then watching them do it.
- Take charge of the situation rather than reacting to it.

Make feedback an obsession - What we expect and what we want - what we get and what we give - seem to be very different things.

Lead work sessions - Not bull sessions.

- Notes gleaned from The Voice of Authority (10 Communication Strategies Every Leader Needs to Know) - by Dianna Booher

On Justification - 1 Corinthians 1:30 - "By His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption." Don't misunderstand what this means. Justification does not make you righteous, but you are declared righteous because of the righteousness of Christ that is in you as a free gift from God.

On Faith - Scholars recognize three aspects of faith

• Knowledge (notitia) - The intellectual element
  
• Assent (assensus) - The emotional element
  
• Trust (fiducia) - The volitional element
  

2 Chronicles 16:9 - "For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His."

The essence of true faith is not some quality in ourselves. The strength of our faith is not what saves us or what keeps us saved; it is the object of our faith - Jesus Christ. To live by faith, you must not have a false hope. Your dependence must be only in the object of your hope - Jesus.

On Spiritual Growth - By struggling with the issues of life, and against the dominance of self, you grow spiritually. Through your dependence on Christ, you learn to wield to His lordship. Without these struggles, you will not grow as His disciple.

On Sin and the Mind and Thought Life - All sin leads to the death of something. It may be the death of your peace, joy, victory and power. Moral impurity begins in the mind. Proverbs 4:23 says, "Watch your heart with all diligence, for fro it flow the springs of life. Every temptation begins in your mind. The battle is won or lost in your mind. Whenever someone goes astray, it always starts with his or her thought life. People who mess up their lives do not begin with action. They begin with wrong thinking.

In 2 Timothy 2:22, Paul admonished young Timothy to "flee from youthful lusts." If you want to manage your mind, learn to flee. When you are tempted with lustful thoughts, make a decision to run. A choice accompanies every temptation. Temptation is not sin, but a wrong response to temptation leads to sin. Again the battle is won or lost in your thought life. Start by fixing your mind on the goal.

Falling into temptation always brings regret, suffering, and defeat. Water your mind with clean and pure thoughts. Know your weaknesses. Find scripture verses that deal with those specific weaknesses. Each time you are tempted quote the Scriptures that apply.

God allows you to struggle for one reason. He wants to bring you to the end of yourself. Also remember, if Satan can bring such a strong and godly person as King David to fall into secret sin, he can also entice anyone to do the same.

On Struggles and Doubts - A believer can be justified only once, but experiences can take us deeper into our relationship with Christ. If doubts occur, don't seek a unique feeling or a sign from Heaven. In simple, childlike faith, take God at His word. Believe in Him.

Isaiah 43:2 - "When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned". God is telling us that He will not save me from the fire, but He will save me in the fire.

Along the road of sanctification God takes us through times of brokenness. These times are used to mold us in the hands of God to become what which He can use for His honor and glory.

On Joy and Peace - When a believer sins, their life is impaired. It has a broken thread. The holy spirit is grieved because He loves you. Until your sin problem is repaired, your Christian life will lose its joy and peace. You will be without power to serve and love.

To be filled by the Holy Spirit means to be dominated and controlled by Him. Being Spirit filled is the key to living a victorious Christian life. "Being filled" - It is not a one time act. Its a continuous daily action. Surrendering to Christ is something that you do moment by moment and day by day. Daily, exercise your will and decide to allow Him to control you.

On Listening - Constantly listen to God. He speaks primarily through His inspired word.
- First, your sole purpose is to read so that you can hear God speaking to you.
- Second, ask God to show you the spiritual truths in each verse. Begin by praying.
- Third, ask God to personalize each truth.

To hear what He is saying, you MUST STOP AND LISTEN.

On Loving God's way - First understand how he loves you. Loving does not require money. It does require time and energy. Galatians 6:2 says .. "bear one another's burdens". When someone is hurting or in need, walking with him or her through pain and crisis takes a lot of your emotional energy. Often, that person will require months or years to recover. Be willing to continue standing with him or her.

If you consistently show God's love unconditionally and sacrificially, people will see His love in you. They will know that you are different. When you demonstrate the love of God, ask for nothing in return.

- Notes gleaned from Be a 24/7 Christian - by Wade Akins