treasures of the heart, coins & pearls
TRANSCRIPT
-
8/13/2019 Treasures of the Heart, Coins & Pearls
1/10
Invite Joanna & Gracious Vine to your next event!
GraciousVine.com 2014
631-258-6347
Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth,where moth and rust destroy and where thieves
break in and steal; but lay up for yourselvestreasures in heaven, where neither moth or rustdestroys and where thieves do not break in and
steal. For where your treasure is, there your heartwill be also.
MATTHEW 6:19-21
...Of the HeartWHERE IS YOUR TREASURE?
Scripture tells us not to horde treasures here on
earth where everything eventually disintegratesor is taken from us, but to consider storing up
treasures in heaven where those elements of
depreciation are not the rule. There is NO law
of entropy at work in Heaven, NO evil or
malicious intent there.
I remember as a kid when a main road in
our town was being widened and made into a
highway, properties were cut into so that their
front door was now only feet away from a curb
that had been 1/2 a football field away
previously. Other homes were purchase pennies
on the dollar, or eventually condemned underthe rule of imminent domain and people
found themselves robbed of their earthly
possessions for the sake of community growth.
At that point I remember being so upset
for them and my mother saying, Nothing is
really yours here, you must rely and
trust God, always! I came to understand
that a few years later after selling my first home,
for much less than we had purchased it for and
renovated it with. The market had plummeted
and we sold at a loss of $50,000 which was ahuge margin on a house that only went for
88,000 at closing.
I learned not to look with my eyes at what
was happening, but to trust God through it.
And not to fault myself for being diligent,
frugal, but faithfully and wisely investing into it.
GOD HONORED our faithfulness.
Amazing what can be
found in Attics,Garage Sales,
Garbage.
Joanna Fruhauf www.GRACIOUSVINE.com
GraciousVineMinistry
MUSIC&MESSAGES
PortJeffersonStation, NY
TELEPHONE631-258-6347 CONTACT
JOANNAFRUHAUF
Ever see the tv shows, ANTI UES ROAD SHOW...
AMERICAN PICKERS or..... STORAGE WARS?
WHERE HAVE YOU FOUND TREASURES?
Shipwrecks, dig sites, tunnels, caves, museums,pawn shops, thrift stores, storage facilities
SESSION 1
http://www.graciousvine.com/http://www.graciousvine.com/ -
8/13/2019 Treasures of the Heart, Coins & Pearls
2/10
-
8/13/2019 Treasures of the Heart, Coins & Pearls
3/10
www.GraciousVine.com
In an article in the History of the Ancient
World,July 8, 2010, a man named Dave
Crisp, from Devizes in Wiltshire was
using a metal detector in an open field
and found 21 silver coins scattered
across the landscape. As he continued
he found location beneath the surface
giving a faint signal. He started to dig,
and eventually realized he hit a pot
containing thousands of similar coins.
It was an incredibly large and valuable
archeological find from the 3rd century
AD.
An even more recent find from July
of 2012 was made in Israel at the 13th
century castle of King Richard the
Lionheart, and his crusaders located in
Arsuf, Israel. 108 gold coins from that
period were found during excavation of
the site underneath a floor. The value
of the gold itself is simply increasedbecause of the rarity of coins from the
crusaders in the 1200s. It is one of the
biggest collections ever discovered.
These recent events only highlight
the scriptures relativity to our lives.
Imagine the enormous sense of joy that
would have come over both these
locators. Imagine too the sense of
urgency to get these items secured and
the measures taken to do so, having to
leave them for a moment and desperate
to get back to them before someone else
has opportunity to remove the treasure.
In this scripture, the man, which I
believe based on previous parable
interpretations, is God/Jesus and his
joy and desire to do what ever it takes
to redeem the value he found in the
world, the earth. He who, although He
existed in the form of God, did notregard
equality with God a thing to be grasped, but
emptied Himself, taking the form of a
bond-servant, andbeing made in the likeness
of men. Being found in appearance as a
man, He humbled Himself by becomingobedient to the point of death, even death
on a cross. (Phil 2:6-8)
He went to incredible lengths, emptied
himse lf o f al l His Heavenly glor y,
constrained to time and space in human
flesh, lived a life acquainted with our griefs
and sorrows and then finally obedience to
even death on a cross to secure our
redemption. REDEMPTION - redeeming
something because of its value!
Who says we have value?
Our creator! He has ascribed value to
us. Think of the difficulties/energies hewent to in order to secure our salvation.
Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like...TREASURE HIDDEN IN A FIELD WHICH A MAN FOUND AND HID; AND
FOR JOY OVER IT SOLD ALL THAT HE HAS AND BUYS THAT FIELD.Matthew 13:44
52,000 antique and rare coins found in a field in England dating back to the 3rd century AD during time when Britain suffered under Roman Invasions.
http://historyoftheancientworld.com/2010/07/52000-roman-coins-discovered-in-england/
http://historyoftheancientworld.com/2010/07/52000-roman-coins-discovered-in-england/http://historyoftheancientworld.com/2010/07/52000-roman-coins-discovered-in-england/http://www.graciousvine.com/http://www.graciousvine.com/http://historyoftheancientworld.com/2010/07/52000-roman-coins-discovered-in-england/http://www.graciousvine.com/http://www.graciousvine.com/http://historyoftheancientworld.com/2010/07/52000-roman-coins-discovered-in-england/http://historyoftheancientworld.com/2010/07/52000-roman-coins-discovered-in-england/http://historyoftheancientworld.com/2010/07/52000-roman-coins-discovered-in-england/http://www.graciousvine.com/http://www.graciousvine.com/ -
8/13/2019 Treasures of the Heart, Coins & Pearls
4/10
www.GRACIOUSVINE.com
ANOTHER TREASURE Found in CLAY
POTS - THE WORD OF GOD!
1947 - SCROLLS FOUND - 1948 ISRAEL BECOMES
A NATION! GOD SURFACED WHAT WAS IN THE
DIRT!
If there is a single most valuable find of the
century, it would have to be the unearthing
of the Dead Sea Scrolls. They were found
by a shepherd in 1946/7, just a year before
the re-establishing of the nation of Israelwhich like the scrolls had been hidden in the
earth for 2000 years. The unearthing of
these two items coincided in such a strategic
display, it could only have been orchestrated
by GOD HIMSELF.
More and more were coming to light
over then next 10 years. 972 documents in
total were discovered dating from 68 AD to
250 AD. Most were parchment some were
papyrus and others bronze.
The most complete scroll was the Isaiah
Scroll which is more than 1000 years older
than the oldest copy we have anywhere.
Every book of the Hebrew canon except the
book of Esther was found in part or in
whole. The accuracy of the Dead Sea Scrolls
to the Masoretic text, which is from 1000
AD. In comparing these two different texts,
they were proven to be 95 word for word
accurate and the other 5% were slips of the
pen or spelling, but in no way changed the
context or grammar. Proving
that our confidence in the
scriptures themselves are
preserved over time, by the
hand of God.
These Letters, Books,
Epistles of the Word of God
were housed and hidden for
millennium. Brought forth in
Gods perfect timing that the
EXCELLENCE of what was
contained in the clay earthen
vessels would be seen as the
power and glory of God.
WE HAVE THIS SAME HOPE! We
are nothing more than Clay pots ourselves.
But GOD has determined to place within usHIS WORD - Which if we allow it to be
written on our hearts and hidden in our
hearts, will withstand time.
HE DESIRES for us to be LIVING
E P I S T L E S - t h a t t h e
EXCELLENCE of POWER may
be of GOD and not of us.
To have the Word of God RICH
within us, LIVING POWERFUL,
SHARPENING, Cutting away
things in our lives, separating flesh
and spirit....
When the LORD Unveils it, and
brings it up in us, the world sees and
is struck with wonder and what
GOD has done in US!.
They are left without excuse because
of our witness of HIM.
We have this treasure
in earthen vessels, thatthe excellence of thepower may be of Godand not of us. We arehard-pressed on everyside, yet not crushed;we areperplexed, but
not indespair;persecuted, but
not forsaken; struckdown, but notdestroyed
2 Corinthians 4:7-9
We BecomeAmbassadorsdisplaying HisEXCELLENCE!
The greatest find of this century,
The DEAD SEA SCROLLS
Caves where scrolls were found
CLAY POTS HOLD PRICELESS TREASURE!
http://www.graciousvine.com/http://www.graciousvine.com/http://www.graciousvine.com/ -
8/13/2019 Treasures of the Heart, Coins & Pearls
5/10
www.GraciousVine.com
What Has God deposited in YOU?
Dont be thinking that because we are cracked and flawed that the resident glory cant shine through us!
Rom 12:4 For as we have manymembers in one body, but all
the members do not have
the same function, 5 so we,
beingmany, are one body in
Christ, and individually
members of one another.
6 Having then gifts differing
according to the grace that
is given to us, let us use
them: if prophecy, let us
prophesy in proportion to
our faith; 7 or ministry, let us
use it in ourministering; he
who teaches, in teaching;
8 he wh o ex ho r t s , i n
exhortation; he who gives,
with liberality; he who leads,
with diligence; he who
s h o w s m e r c y , w i t h
cheerfulness.
Eph 4:7 But to each one of us grace wasgiven according to the measure of Christs
gift....And gave gifts to men...11 And HeHimself gave some to be apostles, someprophets, some evangelists, and somepastors and teachers, 12 for theequipping of the saints for the work ofministry, for the edifying of the body ofChrist, 13 till we all come to the unity ofthe faith and of the knowledge of the Sonof God, to a perfect man, to the measureof the stature of the fullness of Christ;14 that we should no longer be children,tossed to and fro and carried about with
every wind of doctrine, by the trickery ofmen, in the cunning craftiness of deceitfulplotting, 15 but, speaking the truth inlove, may grow up in all things into Him
who is the headChrist 16 from whomthe whole body, joined and knit togetherby what every joint supplies, according tothe effective working by which every partdoes its share, causes growth of the bodyfor the edifying of itself in love.
2 Peter 1:2 Grace andpeace be multiplied toyou in the knowledge ofGod and of Jesus ourLord, 3 as His divinepower has given to usall things thatpertaintol i fe and godl iness ,through the knowledgeof Him who called us byglory and virtue, 4 bywhich have been givento us exceedingly greatand precious promises,that through these youmay be partakers of thedivine nature, havingescaped the corruptionthat is in the worldthrough lust.
The Very thing that GOD deposits into us, the gifting, the talents, He iseventually going to want to draw from, receive back His interest due.
He created the treasure, and deposits it and wants a return onHis investment.
http://www.graciousvine.com/http://www.graciousvine.com/ -
8/13/2019 Treasures of the Heart, Coins & Pearls
6/10
So Let YOUR Light Shine BeforeMen
REMEMBER THE BOWL that the dog, BRUTUS, ATEOUT OF.......?ONCE someone of Authority Stated the incredible valueof it, what do you think the owners would then do?
TAKE EVERY PRECAUTION - to TAKE CARE -invest energy, to protect it
INSURANCE POLICY - learn the history of it....
Place it in a location of honor...
THEY RECognize their RESPONSIBILITY -
SHARE the STORY of it with those theylove....so they too could see its value...
THEY become an ambassador of its glory each timethey share....
IT HAS ALWAYS
BEEN GODS
PURPOSE TO
DWELLIN
THE MIDST
OF HIS
PEOPLE
WE ARE CALLED AMBASSADORS of Reconciliation, we are called LIVING EPISTLES the Word of GOD WRitten on our hearts, tablets of flesh, not stone...
Flesh that has been GOD BREATHED - and brought to life with HIS SPIRIT....
Do we liveas if we recognize the incredible value/glory of God that resides withinus? DO WE HIDE it from others? Undiscerning, ashamed, insecure?
Do we disregard HIM, disrespect HIM, discredit HIMwith our lives, our actions, ourattitude, our agendas?
Do we truly CONSIDER the IMMEASURABLE VALUE of what CHrist DIDand takeappropriate measures to guard,discipline and protect the REPUTATION of GOD, inour everyday lives - at work, at home, with our kids, our families, our neighbors ourfriends - or even the person behind the counter?
Do we take the responsibility of being an AMBASSADOR or VESSEL of HONORSERIOUSLY, AT ALL COST to ourselves, or are we expecting some of the GLORY/GLAMOR to be our own?
How many have discounted the GLORY of GOD within us because we feel soNORMAL, PLAINlives/exterior Utilitarian pottery?
How many of us haverefused the HANDS of POTTERto mold us? to Place us in the FIRE, once or twice, To BEAT/WORK the raw clayof our lives and
mold usHIS WAYinstead of our way, humbling us, where we have become, DRY,hardened,or have debris that needs to be removed?
BE ENCOURAGED - THE MERCIES of GOD are NEW EVERY MORNING - IT IS TIMETO SHINE - Lift up your head - and Move forward in the things That YOU KNOW Godhas for you, Submit
ITs TIME to
SHINE
www.GraciousVine.com
-
8/13/2019 Treasures of the Heart, Coins & Pearls
7/10
www.GraciousVine.com
2014
631-258-6347
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like amerchant in search of fine pearls,who, on
finding one pearl of great value, went and
sold all that he had and bought it.MATTHEW 13:45,46
...Of the DEEPJesus is that Pearl of Great Price which we are
in pursuit of our whole lives - how willing are
we to sell all that we have to lay hold of Him.
Especially if we think of how He calls
Himself the door, and it is at the Doors/
Gates of New Jerusalem that are comprised
of Single Pearls.And Yet Once again, I believe that this
wonderful scripture is again giving us a
picture of What God sees in us. The Value
HE has placed on redeeming us, the Pearl.
When I was a teen I went with my mother,
looking for a pearl ring. I wanted it instead of
my High school class ring, which I knew I
would never wear. So off to the thrift stores
and antique shops we went. One trick we
learned along our hunt was told to us by a
antique jeweler, She asked, Do you know the
quick way to tell if the pearl was real or just
costume? We did not. She told us you take
the pearl, and scrape your teeth on it ever so
lightly. If it feels as smooth as glass, then it is
a fake. If it has a slight sensation of the finest
of sandpaper against your teeth, it is real.
With that we were thrilled and it helped us on
more than one occasion.
It was in this hunt that I learned a few
things about pearls. First I realized I could
never really afford the Natural, Akoya, or
South Sea I loved. They were just too
expensive. I got closer in my range as I
looked at cultivated pearls, and was finally
able to purchase a sweet ring, which I still
have.
Rare finds throughoutHistory have made
pearls the gemstonesof Kings/Queens
adorning their crowns.
Joanna Fruhauf www.GRACIOUSVINE.co
Natural Saltwater Pearls
SESSION 2
Interestingly, the gates of Heaven are each made from ONE
Pearl PER GATE! Rev 21:21
http://www.graciousvine.com/http://www.graciousvine.com/http://www.graciousvine.com/http://www.graciousvine.com/ -
8/13/2019 Treasures of the Heart, Coins & Pearls
8/10
www.GraciousVine.com
Nobody knows when someone first
pried open an oyster and found a
pearl. With its soft, rainbow-hued
inner radiance, that first pearl must
have seemed like a gift from God.
Pearls are unlike other gemstones
because they do not have to be cut
and polished to enhance their natural
beautythey grow into it on theirown. No wonder pearls have been
prized ever since for their beauty,
perfection, and rarity.
For thousands of years, pearls have
been the exclusive gemstones of
royalty and nobility in every culture.
In China, they were used for over
five thousand years to decorate the
crowns of emperors, the robes of
noblewomen, and the sacred statues.
In ancient Rome and medieval
France, only the aristocracy were
allowed to wear pearls. In
Elizabethan England, only royalty
could wear them. Pearls became
associated with wealth, status, and
power, and ordinary people began to
desire them as symbols of these
things. Throughout history, millions
of people have yearned to wear
pearls.
The ancient Egyptians prized pearlsso much they were buried with
them. Reportedly, Cleopatra
dissolved a single pearl in a glass of
wine and drank it, simply to win a
wager with Marc Anthony that she
could consume the wealth of an
entire country in just one meal.
The Ancient Hebrews believed that
pearls had been used by God to
decorate the Garden of Eden.
Throughout almost all of recorded
history, pearls were far too valuable
and rare for any but the royalty and
aristocracy to afford.
NATURAL PEARLS
These are harvested by
div ing deep to find
naturally occurring oyster
bed and harvesting them
to see if there is anything
in them. These are rare to
find large well shaped
pearls, making them veryexpensive.
CULTURED PEARLS
These are set up in
clusters attached to ropes
or placed in crate pots and
have been infused with a
foreign object, to create an
irritation. They are left in
the water for 2 or more
years and then harvested.
Pearl harvesting off the shores of Kuwait
http://www.graciousvine.com/http://www.graciousvine.com/http://www.graciousvine.com/ -
8/13/2019 Treasures of the Heart, Coins & Pearls
9/10
www.GraciousVine.com
Interestingly, Pearls are considered a gemstone. The reason is because the are layers of nacre which is excreted from the
oyster. This nacre is actually a very thin layer of millions of microscopic crystals that are interconnected reflecting and
refracting light from one crystal to the other.The processes and conditions needed by which pearls grow is equally
fascinating.
Stresses/Sorrows/Suffering- an oyster feeds on plankton
and sometimes when it is feeding a grain of sand may get it, or
a parasite. It causes immediate irritation and to deal with the
problem which could potentially kill it (if a parasite) the
mollusk secretes nacre to encase and isolate the foreign
agent. As long as the irritation is in the oyster it will
continually, layer by layer shroud it with a layer of
crystals. Fully encasing and protecting the mollusk from
harm. The encasing is a self-protection mechanism.
Consider that in this life we will have tribulation,
but that we are to count it all joy, knowing that those
very trials that we may have thought would destroy us,
have in fact strengthened us and created something far
more valuable than ever anticipated.
Slow/Still/Steady - It is not a quick thing, it is a
process of patience. One in which we must wait on Gods
timing. We dont know when we will be relieved of the
irritation, but at some point, he will harvest us. The longer He
tarries, the more irritation there could be, but the Larger the pearl
that grows within us. This is much of the reason we are to be patient
with each other. We do not know the irritation that is within anotherpersons life that they are dealing with, and that God has left in them to cultivate a
greater pearl. We are not to be presumptuous in thinking we know when someone should have been healed of a hurt or
received victory over something. We are to be trusting God to bring things to completion in His perfect timing.
The oceans have a regular pattern, the rising and falling of the tides, the regular patterned ebb and flow of the oceans
waters, washing, bringing nutrients, cycling water, seasonal changes, day and night, day after day. There is a heartbeat if
you will to the regularity of it and in the midst of it, the oyster remains still.
Secret/Solitude/Silence - Often times we wrestle with God ALONE. It is in the night watches, the lonely moments,
times when no one sees or knows how we feel that we are dealing with the foreign object by ourselves. Much like a caterpillar
in its cocoon finally emerging as a transformed and beautiful butterfly. Think
about Jacob having to wrestle with the Angel of the Lord. It was a terrifying
moment in His life. It was Him alone, and he was left with a limp Im sure
he wouldnt trade that irritation for the blessing he received in the end.Soaking/Soothing/Shielded - Staying in the presence of GODs
Word as it continues to wash over us through us around us is VITAL. The
Salt WATER of Gods word is purifying for us in times of testing, trials and
tribulations, It helps to cleanse us, of impurities, heals us, supplies nutrients
to our weary hearts and a source of life for our spirits.
Pearl of Great Price
http://www.graciousvine.com/http://www.graciousvine.com/http://www.graciousvine.com/http://www.graciousvine.com/ -
8/13/2019 Treasures of the Heart, Coins & Pearls
10/10
www.GraciousVine.com
Count it all Joy Brethren!Wisdom is more precious than (Hebrew)pearls. Proverbs 3:15
Pearls can be even more valuable than Diamonds. God wants the adorning to be the inward beauty of a quite and gentleheart. One that has submitted to Him and learned to deal with lifes difficulties with a unique ability that ultimately isof great value and adorning.
HOWS YOUR HEART?
Are there areas of pain, sorrow, loss,
damage, physical, spiritual, emotional,
intellectual, social, familial, relational ,
unfulfilled promises or expectations,
dreams that have died, desires that never
came to fruition? Is there grief of a hope
that disappointed. Is there a constant
reminder that something that shouldnt
be there is; A constant gnawing and
grating on your heart?
We all have suffered some loss,
disappointments and griefs. There are
definitely different ways to deal with
them and Godly counselors that can
help us through those times, but it is WE
OURSELVES that have to come to a
place where we make a choice to move
forward, without holding it to Gods
account and blame. Kayla is a young lady, that whenshe was just 8 years old, who lost herfather in a sudden, violent, unjust
moment of national attack. September
11th, 2001. Her dad had gone to work
for Cantor Fitzgerald on the top floors of
the Twin Towers as he did every day of
the week. He did not come home.
That talented and outgoing young
girl became withdrawn and self
destructive. As she grew, she pressed the
limits of patience with her mother, and
crossed thresholds into a life of drugs
and activities that would lead her down
an increasingly painful and destructive
path.
Finally at 19 when she was at her
bottom and no place to live, a friend of
the family took her in. With loving and
firm boundaries she was welcome to
stay. Early on she resisted, fought
against the restraints, but deep down
realized they were her only way back to
life. She resisted God and His presence
and yet was also drawn to Him.
Over the course of more than a
year, she surrendered her heart and her
spirit to the Lord Jesus Christ. She iscurrently an active member of a vibrant
fel lowship, serving in childrens
ministries, she is going to NYACK
College to become a Christian
Counselor and work with Teen
Challenge as well as in a ministry call All
Access Productions which travels around
the country sharing a message in schools
about anti-bullying and ultimately the
Gospel.
Recently, attending to nursery care
in church a little girl was dropped off by
her grandmother to childrens church
but was refusing. The grandmother
confided that the child had recently lost
her dad. Kayla, hearing that, reached
out and comforted the child with letter
her know she had also lost her dad, and
knows how that feels. The little girl took
her by the hand, and stayed that day.
The pearl which was made in the
secret, solitude, sorrowful yet shielded,
soothing, steady place, was harvested
and is being now used to the glory of
God. A rare pearl of great value and
price. One for which the merchant wentto great lengths to secure and redeem for
Himself ! A jewel in HIS Crown.
Are we willing to trust God with all
of our hurts, for His Glory in the End?
http://www.graciousvine.com/http://www.graciousvine.com/http://www.graciousvine.com/http://www.graciousvine.com/