the watcher

Philippians 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. As we close the year 2022 and rest in God as He takes us into 2023, we should know what to take into the new year and what to let go with the passed year. "It will be great foolishness to repeat the same errors of 2022 in 2023" Selah Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things. Therefore: * let the lessons sink in and not the hurts * forgive those who have wronged you * believe again, "that it did not happen in 2022 does not mean it will not be fulfilled in 2023" * remember those who have blessed you, financially, spiritually and mentally, APPRECIATE them * plan to work

Genesis 25:5-6,9-10 Abraham gave everything he owned to his son Isaac. But before he died, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them off to a land in the east, away from Isaac. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite. This was the field Abraham had purchased from the Hittites and where he had buried his wife Sarah. Abraham was a man who lived well, scriptures recorded him to have lived a fulfilled life: Genesis 25:7-8 Abraham lived for 175 years, and he died at a ripe old age, having lived a long and satisfying life. He breathed his last and joined his ancestors in death. He lived 175 years and there was no evil report about Him. He was known for strength yet humble and kind. He was a great man indeed yet he avoided conflicts as much as he could. He lived in a place where the people did not know the Lord, yet he stayed faithful and taught his family including his servants the way of the

Genesis 24:50-51,67 Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “The Lord has obviously brought you here, so there is nothing we can say. Here is Rebekah; take her and go. Yes, let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the lord has directed.” And Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent, and she became his wife. He loved her deeply, and she was a special comfort to him after the death of his mother. Things always fall into place when the Lord's hand is in it. It is easiest when all parties involved have faith in the Lord. Most times it is difficult to convince one who doesn't know the Lord that this or that is God's instruction or God's plan. Exodus 5:2 “Is that so?” retorted Pharaoh. “And who is the Lord? Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I don’t know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.” In this scenario God steps in to show His power, that the one who do not believe will have no choice than to succumb to the will of the Lord. For the Heavenly Father h

Genesis 24:33,48 Then food was served. But Abraham’s servant said, “I don’t want to eat until I have told you why I have come.”“All right,” Laban said, “tell us.” “Then I bowed low and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham, because he had led me straight to my master’s niece to be his son’s wife. The journey of Abraham's servant to search a wife for Isaac teaches us the essence of walking in God's will. Jesus said: John 15:7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! The criteria for "prayer answer" is to be in God's will. To change the natural order of things will need the supernatural interference of the divine. For when you try to interfere with things, superior powers arise to challenge you. However, when you come in the name of the Lord, no higher power exists, it thus comes to pass. Lamentations 3:37 Who can command things to happen without the Lord’s permissi

Genesis 24:12,18 “O Lord, God of my master, Abraham,” he prayed. “Please give me success today, and show unfailing love to my master, Abraham. “Yes, my Lord,” she answered, “have a drink.” And she quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and gave him a drink. We learn two major lessons from Abraham's quest for a wife for Isaac. Firstly, we see good character from Rebecca. The courteous treatment of strangers which ran down the family of Terah. We saw it in Abraham, in Lot and now in Rebecca from the house of Nahor. It is every parent's duty to bring up their children in the way of the Lord. I remember having an interaction with a supposed cleric from a particular religion when I was on an official assignment some years ago. The cleric's stand was that children were the duty of God to bring up, that once a child is born, it is God's will and he has the duty to bring them up. I disagreed insisting that no one is forced to bring children into the world, however, when you

Genesis 24:3-4,6 Swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.” “No!” Abraham responded. “Be careful never to take my son there. I always say that almost all the problems we battle as humans are created by us. Our decisions reflect back to us to  either save us from troubles or give us troubles. Abraham knew the nature of people he lived with. They did not know the Lord and their ways were evil. He could not allow his son marry their women that they do not take his heart away from the Lord. (contrast this from Lot's daughter's fiances) This is so important, marriage is a covenant, the least one can do is to make it with a believer. 1 Kings 11:2-4 The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, “You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.” Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway.

Genesis 23:16-18,20 So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price and paid the amount he had suggested—400 pieces of silver, weighed according to the market standard. The Hittite elders witnessed the transaction. So Abraham bought the plot of land belonging to Ephron at Machpelah, near Mamre. This included the field itself, the cave that was in it, and all the surrounding trees. It was transferred to Abraham as his permanent possession in the presence of the Hittite elders at the city gate. So the field and the cave were transferred from the Hittites to Abraham for use as a permanent burial place. Any good business man would understand the importance of a completed transaction. Not just a mere word of mouth or promise, but a full payment for full transfer of ownership. This is especially important in transaction involving landed property, sale of assets or absorbing an establishment. When God was to transact the business of redeeming man, He made a full payment. He had to physically come on eart

Genesis 22:12,16-18 “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.” “This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me.” The proof of your faith is "obedience"! I remember a bible study session as a little boy when a matter arose concerning events like this, when it seemed the Lord allowed his own to go through a temptation. I arose as a little boy then and made a correction. "There is a difference between tempting and testing". Listen, the enemy is the one that tem

Genesis 21:32-34 After making their covenant at Beersheba, Abimelech left with Phicol, the commander of his army, and they returned home to the land of the Philistines. Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he worshiped the lord, the Eternal God. And Abraham lived as a foreigner in Philistine country for a long time. Wisdom is the principal thing, in all your getting get understanding. Proverbs 4:7 Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!  And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. Know whom you make a pact with. Don't create battles for yourself. The challenges that come naturally are enough already. Jesus, the Messiah said: Matthew 6:34b Today’s trouble is enough for today. Jesus also said: Matthew 5:25-26 “When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. And if that happens, you

Genesis 21:9-12 But Sarah saw Ishmael—the son of Abraham and her Egyptian servant Hagar—making fun of her son, Isaac. So she turned to Abraham and demanded, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son. He is not going to share the inheritance with my son, Isaac. I won’t have it!” This upset Abraham very much because Ishmael was his son. But God told Abraham, “Do not be upset over the boy and your servant. Do whatever Sarah tells you, for Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted. The "bond woman" may mock you and look down on you now, for they feel that it has happened for them. Some will ask where is your God that you so faithfully serve. Remember: Galatians 4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. The "bond woman" will not inherit the promise, it is for the free. John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. The greatest promise of God to man is in the sacrifice of His Son. For

Genesis 21:1 The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. The Lord keeps His Word. "full stop" Once He has promised He will keep His word. The only thing that could arise is delay, but surely it will come to pass and it will cause a victorious song. Jeremiah 32:42b so I will do all the good I have promised them. Habakkuk 2:3b If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. I cannot tell why the Lord kept Sarah for so long without a child. Abraham seemed not to bother so much about it, yet he did not go to marry another. I believe the Lord was keeping them special to begin a new generation, a nation the He will call His own. Abraham really was a special type of man. How many with so much affluence and wealth could be like Him? So the word still remains that God will do what He promised. The question is, Has He promised? Three ways we have God's promises: 1. When He speaks directly to us. Yes He st

1 Chronicles 16:22 “Do not touch my chosen people, and do not hurt my prophets.” Psalms 105:15 “Do not touch my chosen people, and do not hurt my prophets.” When you are under the cover of the Almighty, He takes care of all that concerns you including protecting you from being oppressed. Many claim to be God's prophet, however, the ones that God uses do not need to announce themselves, God announces them. For God to announce you, He must have chosen you and you must also be working in His obedience. We have many who speak of grace but do not practice obedience to what God instructs. Many do not even hear Him. Abraham, who was the father of faith, still had his fears as a human. Caution comes natural to us, however we must not forget who keeps us. Psalms 91:1-4 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord:  He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you fro

Genesis 19:36-38 As a result, both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their own father. When the older daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Moab. He became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Moabites. When the younger daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Ben-ammi. He became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Ammonites. We pray not to get entangled in situations that would cause us to make bad choices, for definitely there are consequences for those decisions. We recall how the desperation of Sarah caused the birth of Ishmael. The decision of Lot led to one problem then to series of other problems. Then this abominable one by his daughters. It is expected for they lived among people with sinful record. Genesis 19:37-38 When the older daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Moab. He became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Moabites. When the younger daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Ben-ammi. He became the ancestor of the nation

Genesis 19:25,28 He utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, wiping out all the people and every bit of vegetation. He looked out across the plain toward Sodom and Gomorrah and watched as columns of smoke rose from the cities like smoke from a furnace. Sodom and Gomorrah had their cup full, their iniquity had gone to the extreme and no righteous one was found in them. What was left was destruction. Genesis 19:24 Then the Lord rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah. Let us look at how this affected Lot. Remember he chose to live close to these people. His eyes were attracted by the beauty and wealth of their land. It is important to note that Lot became rich because of Abraham. Genesis 13:5 Lot, who was traveling with Abram, had also become very wealthy with flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and many tents. Being wealthy, his herders began to "rub shoulders" with Abram's herders".  Abram h

Genesis 19:4-5,13 But before they retired for the night, all the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house. They shouted to Lot, “Where are the men who came to spend the night with you? Bring them out to us so we can have sex with them!” For we are about to destroy this city completely. The outcry against this place is so great it has reached the Lord, and he has sent us to destroy it.” The evil was really great. Homosexuality was a way of life, not just that but public rape. Really the city was ripe for destruction. Look at our world today are we not diplomatically doing the things that caused the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah? Paint it whatever way you want, when you leave evil unchecked, it consumes. Remember when God warned Cain that sin was lurking at his door, he did nothing about it till it consumed him and made him a murderer. It doesn't just escalate in a day. It comes in bit by bit, compromise by compromise before you know it wh

Genesis 19:1-3 That evening the two angels came to the entrance of the city of Sodom. Lot was sitting there, and when he saw them, he stood up to meet them. Then he welcomed them and bowed with his face to the ground. “My lords,” he said, “come to my home to wash your feet, and be my guests for the night. You may then get up early in the morning and be on your way again.”“Oh no,” they replied. “We’ll just spend the night out here in the city square.” But Lot insisted, so at last they went home with him. Lot prepared a feast for them, complete with fresh bread made without yeast, and they ate. When the scripture said: Proverbs 22:6 Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. It is not just about leaving physical wealth for your children, they must have a good heritage in character and nature. Build godly virtues in them. Laziness is not a godly heritage, thus they can never be poor. The good trainings Abraham learnt from his fathers was als

Genesis 18:17,23,32 “Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the Lord asked. Abraham approached him and said, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked? Finally, Abraham said, “Lord, please don’t be angry with me if I speak one more time. Suppose only ten are found there?”And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.” Reading Genesis 18:16-33, two questions are brought to our attention: The first is: What does it take to have the privilege of knowing God's plan? Abraham was a man of faith, this was shown to us, for God called Him righteousness, again, he was a humble and good man, his goodness gave him the opportunity to entertain angels. His blessings were sealed. However God gave a particular reason why He will not hide His plans from Abraham: Genesis 18:17-19 “Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the Lord asked. “For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. I have

Genesis 18:14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” Listen, when the Lord remembers you, what he does baffles you and others. People talk of Sarah laughing when God said she will have a son: Genesis 18:11-13 Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children. So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?” Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ Wait, Sarah was not the first to laugh, yesterday we saw that Abraham also laughed when God promised them a son: Genesis 17:17 Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?” Listen, again I say, when th

Genesis 17:24,26-27 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, Both Abraham and his son, Ishmael, were circumcised on that same day, along with all the other men and boys of the household, whether they were born there or bought as servants. All were circumcised with him. We learnt yesterday of the new covenant, the circumcision of the heart, the new birth. Christ was the fulfilment of this. When we read circumcision from the old testament we keep in mind that we are relating with the new birth. It is important that every Father, brother or leader, keep his household under the circumcision. Abraham was instructed by God to circumcise every male in his house. The circumcision we have in Christ neither knows gender or race, there is no restrictions. (You know male circumcision is medically okay and beneficial to males, but for females it is not!) The Lord is far above medicine or science. So mothers and sisters wake up to the responsibility, keep everyone in the household

Genesis 17:9-10,13 Then God said to Abraham, “Your responsibility is to obey the terms of the covenant. You and all your descendants have this continual responsibility. This is the covenant that you and your descendants must keep: Each male among you must be circumcised. All must be circumcised. Your bodies will bear the mark of my everlasting covenant. When it comes to faith it goes beyond saying it, you have to prove it. The outward show is the evidence of an inward believe, and not the other way round. God instructed Abraham to circumcise himself and all males in his household and that this will be a continual sign of his convenant with his descendants. This was after he had been proved righteous because of his faith! The renewed and final covenant was done when Christ Jesus was revealed, the sacrifice was Christ Himself and the circumcision was not of the outward show but the circumcision of the heart by the Holy Spirit. John 17:3,19-20,26 And this is the way to have eternal life—t

Genesis 17:5 What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. What are you called? We must understand the power of our name. I am not just talking about the name we are given at birth, but our identity. Do not accept any name that does not represent God's glory in your life. Many children and even adults have grown up having the wrong names declared on them, that they have accepted it as their heritage. No. If you have been a victim, know that the Lord came that you will be set free. Notice through the chapters, that the Heavenly Father Himself kept repeating His promises to Abram, He then went further to embed it in His name. So that each time Abraham is called, they declare His blessings. What are You called? How do You call Your children? What name have You accepted? Remember: Psalm 139:14(kjv) I will praise thee; for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvellous [are] thy works

Genesis 16:2-3 So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (This happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan.) There is one character that is essential in walking with God, that character is patience. It is key to be able to practice faith and live the life of righteousness and obedience. All of God's promises are always scheduled for an appointed time, thus there is a wait period. What happens within the wait period is also very important. In our reading of today we see Sarai, trying to interfere with the wait period. Would you blame her, which woman is happy not to have children for her husband. However, we see that the interference resulted in chaos for her: Genesis 16:5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “This is all your fault! I put my se

Genesis 15:6 And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith. The special thing about Abram was his ability to believe God even when it seemed unreasonable. He was not the first, we can talk of Enoch and ofcourse Noah, who stood out when the whole world was corrupt. The believing of Abram was what made God account Him as righteous. Ephesians 2:8-9 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Does this then imply that we can live anyhow and expect grace to abound. No, the next verse says: Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. The evidence of your believe is not just saying so, it is your actions that prove your faith. One thing we know of Abraham was his adherence to instructions.  When God ask

Genesis 14:21-23 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give back my people who were captured. But you may keep for yourself all the goods you have recovered.” Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I solemnly swear to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, that I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from what belongs to you. Otherwise you might say, ‘I am the one who made Abram rich.’ The real character of a person is tested in the time of challenges or opportunity. We really can boast of whatever character we want, but our response will prove or disapprove us. What was Abram's first action after God gave him victory in battle? Thanksgiving. The priest of the Most High received a tenth, the first occurrence of tithe in scriptures. (He never asked for it!) Melchizedek acknowledged God's power in the life of Abram: Genesis 14:18-19 And Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought Abram some bread and wine. Melchizedek blessed

Genesis 14:11-12,16 The victorious invaders then plundered Sodom and Gomorrah and headed for home, taking with them all the spoils of war and the food supplies. They also captured Lot—Abram’s nephew who lived in Sodom—and carried off everything he owned. Abram recovered all the goods that had been taken, and he brought back his nephew Lot with his possessions and all the women and other captives. We looked yesterday at the err of Lot. What pride and self consciousness could make people do. Paul wrote that God gave us scriptures so that: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. Do we learn from these records? Are we making the same mistakes? The land that Lot selfishly grabbed from his uncle Abram, whose investment he made wealth from became a torment for

Genesis 13:14-15 After Lot had gone, the Lord said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west. I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. Being good should be your nature it should not just be as a result of circumstances.  In our present days, it seems as if wisdom to many is taking advantage of others.  It does not seem a mere coincidence that the Lord spoke clearly to Abram after Lot separated from him. I wonder at the character of Lot. He saw an argument arising between his herders and that of his uncle and did nothing about it. His uncle saw this and didn't want any family estrangement sought for peace.  Your uncle and benefactor said: Genesis 13:8-9 Finally Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not allow this conflict to come between us or our herdsmen. After all, we are close relatives! The whole countryside is open to you. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and

Genesis 12:13,16,20 So please tell them you are my sister. Then they will spare my life and treat me well because of their interest in you.” Then Pharaoh gave Abram many gifts because of her—sheep, goats, cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels. Pharaoh ordered some of his men to escort them, and he sent Abram out of the country, along with his wife and all his possessions. Famine drove Abram out of Canaan to Egypt to dwell as a foreigner.  Listen, that you got to that destination, does not mean there will be no challenges. It is only when we arrive in the eternal destination that all difficulties are deleted. Selah That you got that admission and started studying is a success, that does not mean you will not face some hurdles. That you graduated and celebrated does not mean you will not face challenges in getting a job or starting a business. The search for a life partner, may make you desperate or worried. When you eventually get married challenges will

Genesis 12:1,7,9 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.” And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the Lord, who had appeared to him. Then Abram continued traveling south by stages toward the Negev. When I read these verses I am more convinced that the directive to leave was given even while Terah was alive: "The Lord HAD said to Abram . . . " However we see that Terah stopped at Haran, and there events took place including his death, Abram continued the journey. Every journey has it's challenges, however to get to the destination, you have to keep the destination in mind. The journey itself is as important as the destination! Take for instance the journey everyone of us is taking, the destination is eternal life. God did not create us for death, sin brought about death. In Christ

Genesis 11:31 One day Terah took his son Abram, his daughter-in-law Sarai (his son Abram’s wife), and his grandson Lot (his son Haran’s child) and moved away from Ur of the Chaldeans. He was headed for the land of Canaan, but they stopped at Haran and settled there. When we applaud the exploits of those who were recorded for good, we should have in mind the influence of those who taught and raised them. Reading Genesis 11:27-31, I would want to assume that Abram may not have been the first to receive the instruction to move to Canaan. I reason this way because we see his father Terah begin this journey with him and other members of the family. However, scriptures records that he stopped at Haran. The influence of proper upbringing cannot be overlooked in the life of faithful people. For as scriptures says: Romans 10:14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him

Genesis 11:10,25-26 This is the account of Shem’s family. Two years after the great flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he became the father of Arphaxad. After the birth of Terah, Nahor lived another 119 years and had other sons and daughters. After Terah was 70 years old, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. When God says this will be, it is as He says. Most times we feel disappointed because it doesn't happen within our timing system. We must always remember that God created time and put us in it, He is not limited by time. In Genesis 6, we hear God say before the flood: Genesis 6:3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years.” Some at that time will say, oh, I have lived more than 120 years, so . . . However, reading through the genealogies we see the years trickling down as one generation goes to the other. Genesis 11:10-26. So als

Genesis 11:1,6 At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words. “Look!” he said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! The Heavenly Father Himself declared the power of unity, a force that cannot be defeated. Why do we fail as a people, it is simply because of disunity. We are not able to understand ourselves.  One big tool for unity is love. When Christ was praying for the church He requested that church have the type of unity He had with the Father: John 17:21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. The Godhead is one and thus nothing is impossible. That is why when You read from creation, you hear: . . . let us . . . Genesis 1:26a Then God said, “Let us  . . . Genesis 11:7 Come, let’s go down and . . . Disunity will bring down