I knew that the Victorian house over here on Parker behind the funeral home was for sale, but they just put up the “For Sale” signs within the last few weeks. I think that’s a beautiful house and Deborah has always wanted a Victorian.

But as I cruised by and looked at the beauty of the outside of the house, I wondered, “What all is wrong inside the house?” Even if the walls and floors are in good shape, what about what’s inside the walls or under the floors. It’s the things you can’t see that can give you fits, right? Things like the foundation … or the plumbing … or the electrical wiring.

Things may look great on the outside … but on the inside everything might be just a great big mess.

And then I wondered, “How many Christians are like that?—on the outside, they look like everything is hunk-dory. But on the inside, behind closed doors, in those places that you can’t really see … things are just a great big mess.”

When we were showing our house in Los Angeles, we would get ready for the open house by sweeping up the trash and hiding all the dirty clothes. Our realtors told us that if anybody stopped by to see the house we should answer their questions honestly, but don’t volunteer any extra information.

And boy, we’re sure good at doing that as Christians. People ask us how we’re doing and we say, “Just fine” … when things really aren’t fine at all.

I don't want anyone to know the real me. And I’m not about to volunteer any information about me that might make you think less of me.

And that works with people … we can hide things from people and we can put on a good show for people.

But we can’t do that with God. We can’t hide anything from Him. And whatever we are … however much we’re hurting … whatever sins we’ve been a part of … it’s all laid bare before the all-seeing, all-knowing God.

Maybe the real estate signs of our lives should read more like these.

· "For Sale by Owner"—because Jesus calls us to die to ourselves and surrender to him. We don’t own ourselves anymore—He owns us and He wants us to let go.

· Maybe Jesus sees a sign that says "Fixer-upper"—Jesus can make right the things that we can’t. He is the one who can restore the brokenness of our lives.

· We need to understand that Jesus will take us "As Is"—You don’t have to have it all together to come to Jesus. The fact is, no one has it all together.

· God can see your "Hidden Value"--He made you. He knows you. And He has great plans for you. God places a high value on you … to the point that He sent His only Son to bring you back to Him.

In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul writes, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

Jesus says in Revelation 21:5, “"Behold, I am making all things new." And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."

Jesus wants to make your life new. He wants to create a whole new you. And if your life is a mess… that’s okay. He’ll take you anyway. Now that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have great plans for you. He will change you if you’ll surrender to him.