Before & After
Week Four - Behind Closed Doors
Carl Nichols

That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
Genesis 2:24-25

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
Genesis 3:8-12

shame: buwsh (boosh); to be ashamed; to feel completely worthless.

“It’s impossible to build a marriage of intimacy on a foundation of secrecy.”

Priority
“I promise that God will be my one and my spouse will be my two.”

Pursuit
“I promise to always pursue my two.”

Preparation
“I promise to prepare for “we” while by dealing with “me”.

Purity
“I promise to communicate with and not isolate.”

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.
Ephesians 5:8a

Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
Ephesians 5:8b-11

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity …
Ephesians 5:3

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Matthew 5:27-28

Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house.
Proverbs 5:8

“If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.”
Matthew 5:29

How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 
Psalm 119:9-11

Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
Proverbs 28:13

“It’s impossible to build a life/marriage of righteousness on a foundation of sin.”

“It’s impossible to build a life/marriage of trust on a foundation of lies.”

“It’s impossible to build a life/marriage of unity on a foundation of selfishness.”

“It’s impossible to build a life/marriage of intimacy on a foundation of secrecy.”

God as my one may require me to run.

Pursuing my two means no one but you.

Preparing for we, means I’m honest with me.

“I promise to communicate and not isolate.”

If you want what few people have, you must do what few people do.