You know, you think that you could never hear a more weird story on the news, and then there’s the story of Manti Te’o.

In case you haven’t heard, the Heisman runner-up and highly-touted linebacker for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish – who played in the National Championship this year – was recently the alleged victim of an elaborate hoax involving a non-existent girlfriend he met online. She “died” in the middle of season, fueling Te’o's Heisman campaign.

If, like he says, he was the victim of the awful conspiracy, then I feel for him.

For all intensive purposes, his girlfriend was real to him, even though it’s been proven that she never existed.

Is God at least that real to you?

Do you believe in His Word as truth? Or do you categorize it with all the other myths and legends of the world?

Do you pray to Him to help you overcome life’s difficulties? Or do just think that the master and creator of the entire universe can’t solve your problems?

Do you worship him as you should every Sunday, or is a game or a fishing trip more important?

You see, if God was real to us, He would be someone we cannot ignore. But often we find ourselves doing that very thing.

Isaiah 46.9 says "remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other, I am God, and there is none like me." 

Don’t ignore God tonight. Make Him real, because He is. 

Tonight if you're struggling, we can pray for you. If you doubt in God, we can study with you. If you believe, we can baptize you. Why don't you come right now while we stand and sing.