Jump Start Your Marriage by Barry Franklin Page B

is real. King David once wrote:  "The fool has said i n his heart, 'There is no God.’” (Psalm 53:1a). David’s observation has been borne out time and again through scientific discovery, historical study, and philosophic inquiry.
    Though civilizations and nations have long debated and argued over the nature and qualities of God, very few people in the history of the human race have denied the supernatural realm or embraced a purely atheist worldview. And, while some cultures today (and several more in the past) have embrace d polytheism, the overwhelming consensus among the world’s population has been and continues to be some form of mono theism. That is, most of the human population believes in a personal, intelligent, all-powerful Supreme Being, and they do so for good reason.
    If you are absolutely convinced that God exists, you may want to breeze over the next few pages. But if there is any doubt whatsoever (even perhaps in the deepest recesses of your mind), I hope you will very carefully consider the following evidence for God’s existence.
    There are numerous arguments for the existence of God. I will give you the five pioneered by the legendary medieval theologian, Thomas Aquinas. Building on the logic of Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas outlined the following five arguments for God’s existence:
            Argument from Motion - There is motion in the universe. Since nothing can move itself, an external agent or force is/was necessary to cause or instigate the motion that is in the universe. Embracing Aristotle's reasoning, Thomas Aquinas dismissed the possibility of an infinite regress of forces. (To put that in modern day language, it makes no since that a train is moved by a infinite line of box cars. Something that to start the train moving). There must be (in the words of Aristotle) an "unmoved mover."
            Argument from Cause - Based on the premises that every effect has a cause and that everything that begins to exist or happen is an effect, the cosmological argument (or argument of causality) holds that there must be an ultimate First Cause. After all, an infinite regress of effects is nonsensical. An original cause had to start the train of effects.
            Argument from Perfection - The universe contains a pyramid of beings (from simple, basic organisms to advanced organisms such as humans). This "ever-increasing degree of perfection" points toward a final being that must be perfect and ideal.
            Argument from Design - The world contains an observable order or design. Such design cannot be attributed to the object or objects in question. There must be an external Designer to account for the complexity of life and the order of the universe.
            Argument from Necessity - Everything that exists does so in relation to other things. Within this observed network of relationships, everything that exists is dependent on something else. However, an infinite regress of such relationships is contradictory and impossible. There must be a "necessary being" which is contingent on nothing else for its existence.
     
    For most of my readers, it is perhaps not necessary to lay out such reasons to believe in God, but in this day and age of postmodern skepticism, it helps to have some evidences to bolster one’s faith.
    Assuming that your faith in God’s existence is solid, the next two keys in placing your hope in God is to believe that God loves you and is thus for you and that He wants you to have a happy marriage.
    That God loves you is irrefutable in light of the fact that He chose to create you and sent His Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for your sins. God knows your every flaw and is aware of your every mistake, and yet He loves you more than you love yourself and more than anyone else can ever possibly love you.
    God hears your cries. He knows your broken heart. He numbers all your tears. He knows all your heartache and pain, and He wants you to have a