20 The sons of Ephraim were Shuthelah, Bered his son, Tahath his son, Eladah his son, Tahath his son, 21 Zabad his son, Shuthelah his son, and Ezer and Elead. The men of Gath who were born in that land killed them because they came down to take away their cattle. 22 Then Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came to comfort him. 23 And when he went in to his wife, she conceived and bore a son; and he called his name Beriah, because tragedy had come upon his house. 24 Now his daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth Horon and Uzzen Sheerah. 1 Chronicles 7:20-24 (NKJV)
Sheerah could be considered as a woman of many resources and one who was not afraid of the faces. God is calling the women to arise, step out and reach out. He is calling us to build and encourage others in the Lord. We can assumed that Sheerah was confident as she led men and women. She came from a fruitful lineage of Jacob, Ephraim and was already destined for greatness. Sheerah was a strategist who was able to motivate and lead others. She took initiative and likewise, as women, we must be able to take up the plough.
The P’s of Preparing to Build
Before one can begin to build, there are a number of things that need to be considered.
– Preparation
In preparing to build, we have to lay the groundwork (Proverbs 24:27).
-Place
Sheerah built on a good and stable foundation. We have to be built upon the rock of Christ (Matthew 7:24-27). He is the foundation that we need.
– Permission
We have permission to build because God has given us the authority (Matthew 28:18-20).
– Policies
For construction, there are various policies that need to be followed in order for it to be correct. God has given us guidelines in how we should build (Deuteronomy 5:33).
– Program
To build, there needs to be a schedule and a timeline. There should be a goal and a vision for where you want to go (Ecclesiastes 3:3).
– Procedure
There are right and wrong ways to build. Therefore, there one needs to be sensitive to the situation and what is happening around you (Exodus 25:40).
– Perspective
Sheerah had vision to make the intangible, tangible. She had a goal and a perspective. She saw beyond the difficult situation. She saw the goal and worked towards that.
Luke 1:45, John 20:29
– Process
There is always a process of building. Everything cannot be done quickly (Psalm 127:1).
– Passion
As builders, there needs to be a passion for the things of God. There should a passion for prayer and the Father’s business (Isaiah 32:12-13).
– Participants
In order to build, there needs to be participants. We can’t build on our own. We can’t be alone and isolated. We need each other (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Amos 3:3).
– Pocket
Before building, there needs to be an investment. The project needs to be assessed before you begin (Luke 14:28-30).
– Plan
In order to build, there needs to be a plan. A plan is always proven at the end (Job 23:10).
In the beginning, we build down and create a good foundation. By building down, we are able to dig up all the things that would cause the house to fall. We can only have a good foundation when we spend time with Jesus. In His presence is where we belong. When we spend more time with Jesus, the foundation is then stronger. Our lives and trials then become easy because we are rooted in love.
After building down, we must build up. There is then a building up of family, business, ministry, relationships and communities. In this building up, there is a restoration of fellowship and trust. We should not covet what someone else has. We should not envy others because of their house and what they are building.
The final part of the plan is building out. Even now, there is a legacy of what Sheerah built. What we have built will impact others in years to come. We may not see the impact or legacy now but there will be whether good or bad. Our impact is determined by the foundation that we build.
