by Betty Brock and Shannon Steuerwald

“In the seventh verse [of Psalm 51] David asked to be clean; now he seeks a heart suitable to that cleanliness; but he does not say, ‘Make my old heart clean’; he is too experienced in the hopelessness of the old nature. He would have the old man buried as a dead thing, and a new creation brought in to fill its place. None but God can create either a new heart or a new earth. Salvation is a marvelous display of supreme power; the work in us as much as that for us is wholly of Omnipotence. The affections must be rectified first, or all our nature will go amiss. The heart is the rudder of the soul, and till the Lord take it in hand we steer in a false and foul way. O Lord, thou who didst once make me, be pleased to new make me, and in my most secret parts renew me” (Charles Spurgeon, Treasury of David).

U—Where is the focus?  On U

N—Not God

Covetousness (focus on yourself)

• Psalm 119:36  Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.
• Luke 12:15  And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life
  consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Lust (focus on yourself)

• Psalm 81:12  So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
• Galatians 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Envy/Evil speaking (focus on yourself)

• Proverbs 24:1  Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
• Proverbs 14:30  A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

Anger (focus on “you owe me”)

• Psalm 37:8  Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
• Proverbs 16:32  He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

Naughty—good description of our hearts when the
focus is on ourselves (extreme filthiness; dirtiness; nastiness)

• Proverbs 6:12-14  A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth. He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;  Frowardness is in his heart, he
  deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
• James 1:21  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

Contentment (focus on trust in God)
I need to believe God has my best interest in mind.

• Hebrews 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have:        for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
• Psalm 84:11  For the LORD God is a sun and shield:  the LORD will give grace and glory:  no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Love (focus on God and others)

I need to love as God loves me.

• John 13:34-35  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Encouragement/Edification (focus on others)

I need to build up others.

• Ephesians 4:29  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of
  edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Edify means to be a “house builder.”

Comfort means to “come near to exhort.”

Attitude of Caring (focus on “I’m thankful for you)
I need to come alongside others to help.

• 2 Corinthians 1:4  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
•   1 Thessalonians 5:9-11  For God hath not
  appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Newness of Spirit—and renew a right spirit within me

God, help me know You are always near me.  I need to believe God is near.

• Psalm 51:11  Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
• Psalm 51:12  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.