The Gaither Vocal Band sings a great song called “I Believe in a Hill Called Mt. Calvary.”

Here are the words written by Bill Gaither, Dale Oldham, and Gloria L. Gaither:

I believe in a hill called Mount Calvary
I believe whatever the cost
And when time has surrendered
And Earth is no more
I’ll still cling to the old rugged cross

I believe that this life with its great mysteries
Surely someday will come to an end
But faith will conquer the darkness and death
And will lead at last to my friend

I believe that the Christ
Who was slain on the cross
Has the power to change lives today
For He changed me completely
A new life is mine
And that is why by the cross
I will stay

I believe in a hill called Mount Calvary
I believe whatever the cost
And when time has surrendered
And Earth is no more
I’ll still cling to the old rugged cross

Some of the things that caught my attention about this great song are that the quartet believes:

• When Earth is no more.
• Life will surely come to an end.
• Faith in the resurrected Jesus will overcome death.
• Jesus has the power to change our life.
• The most important thing we can do in life is to cling to the one who died on the old rugged cross.

Paul Harvey, a well-known radio commentator, became famous by talking about “The Rest of The Story.”

I believe death or the Rapture (and eventually a destroyed Earth) are certain, but they are not the end of the story.

Here are some recent events that cause me to believe the end of the age is near:

One, concerning an increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters at the end of the age: on Aug. 3, 2026, in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, the water level in the Danube River dropped to just 10 centimeters (about 4 inches).

The previous record low was 33 centimeters, set in 2018.

Countries across Central and Eastern Europe have been forced to take dramatic steps to conserve electricity and avert an energy crisis because plunging water levels have pushed power plants to the brink of shutdown.

More: On Aug. 6, 2026, Lake Mead, America’s largest water reservoir by storage capacity, hit a record low.

Prolonged drought conditions and exceptionally low snowpack have contributed to the significant declines in water levels at several Colorado River Basin reservoirs this year.

More: On Aug. 7, 2026, Puerto Rico began rationing water amid severe drought.

More than 180,000 customer accounts in the capital city of San Juan and nearby areas will have running water cut off for 48 hours at a time.

July was San Juan’s driest month on record since 1899.

More: On Aug. 7, 2026, it was reported that Ferry routes have been suspended, construction halted, fishermen evacuated, and drones deployed to patrol over the sea as China’s coastal provinces prepare for the landfall of Typhoon Dolphin, the fourth typhoon to hit the country this summer.

More: On Aug. 10, 2026, a 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia. Initial reports say 111 killed, dozens trapped, many missing.

(Note: There are fires, floods, earthquakes, wars and rumors of wars, famine, pestilences, wickedness and deceit all over the world, and it seems like a weekly thing.)

Two, on Aug. 7, 2026, the Prophecy News Watch (PNW) staff posted a great article titled Jerusalem’s Cup Is Trembling Again: The Battle for The Temple Mount.

Here is just part of the article:

• The Middle East is burning.
• Wars are spreading, oil routes are under threat, and nations are struggling to contain chaos from Gaza to the Persian Gulf.
• Yet nearly 20 Muslim nations have found time to unite around one urgent concern: Jews praying on the Temple Mount.
• That fact alone should tell us something.
• A few Jewish worshippers quietly praying on a hilltop in Jerusalem can provoke emergency meetings, diplomatic threats, and warnings of regional upheaval.
• Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan recently described a gathering in Amman as “historic,” as Islamic governments discussed coordinated action against Israel over developments at Al-Aqsa.
• Why does this small piece of land create such fear and fury?
• Because the Temple Mount is not merely another disputed location.
• It is the spiritual heart of Jerusalem, the place where the First and Second Jewish Temples stood, and the place where the Jewish people believe their biblical history is anchored.
• The prophet Zechariah warned that Jerusalem would become “a cup of trembling” to the surrounding peoples and “a burdensome stone” for the nations.
• What other city creates this kind of reaction?
• Jerusalem has no enormous oil reserves.
• The Temple Mount controls no global shipping lane.
• It is a relatively small hilltop.
• Yet Jews praying there can summon foreign ministers from across the Islamic world.
• That is not ordinary geopolitics.
• The Bible said Jerusalem would become an obsession for the nations.
• Today, it is becoming exactly that.

Here is a link to the entire article:

https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=10362

Three, concerning deceit: on Aug. 10. 2026, it was reported that Suleiman Maswadeh, a commentator for Channel 13 News, said:

• I’ve stopped being worried or getting excited about Trump’s statements.
• Tomorrow it could be different, and the day after tomorrow he could change course again.
• Tomorrow he could declare war, and three days later announce a deal, and next week it could flip again.
• Look at the fiasco.
• We were at the memorandum of understanding, which was supposed to be the path toward a comprehensive agreement.
• Now we’re talking about an agreement that is actually below the level of the memorandum of understanding, and it isn’t even between the United States and Iran.
• It’s between Oman and Iran – and even that still isn’t happening.

More: on Aug. 10, 2026, Pres. Trump said that he is prepared to let economic pressure on Iran build rather than order a renewed military offensive.

Four, concerning deception and a false peace at the end of the age: on Aug. 10 a reader sent the following statement to me that was written by Amir Tsarfati and posted by Israel:

• There is wall-to-wall agreement in Israel, from the left to the right, that the 15-point plan for Gaza is bad for Israel.
• And here is why: This framework turns the ISF from a force originally intended to help dismantle Hamas into a force that could effectively protect Hamas from the IDF.
• Muslim soldiers standing between Hamas and the IDF are exactly what Hamas has been hoping for since the beginning of the war.
• Qatar and Turkey have been brought in through the back door to serve as the “judges” who determine whether Hamas has actually disarmed.
• The original Trump plan stated that “Gaza will be demilitarized.”
• In other words, the weapons were supposed to be removed from Gaza.
• That is what Netanyahu agreed to.
• Yet under the new plan, the weapons would remain stored in warehouses inside Gaza – meaning that Gaza would not truly be demilitarized.
• No sane Israeli can agree to broken promises, to leaving Gaza armed, to word games, to being lulled into complacency, or to the downplaying of an existential threat.
• This is not a matter of left versus right.
• This is not a political matter.
• This is an existential matter.

(Note: Israel’s Prime Min. Netanyahu has rejected Pres. Trump’s 15-Point plan for Gaza.)

Five, on Aug. 12, 2026, Worthy News reported, in part, that:

• Millions across Europe watched as a rare total solar eclipse swept across the northern Atlantic and portions of the continent, an extraordinary celestial event unfolding just hours before the biblical calendar entered Elul — the month traditionally associated with repentance, spiritual preparation, and the approach of the King.
• At sunset, August 12, Rosh Chodesh Elul began, opening the final month before the Feast of Trumpets, or Rosh Hashanah.
• The month leads directly toward the Feast of Trumpets, followed by the (Ten) Days of Awe and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
• A famous Jewish expression associated with Elul declares that during this season, “the King is in the field.”
• For believers in Yeshua (Jesus), the image carries an unmistakable reminder: now is the time to seek the King while He may be found.
• Whether Wednesday’s eclipse carries any prophetic significance cannot be stated with certainty. But its remarkable timing — darkness falling across Europe as Elul begins — offers a powerful Biblical picture.
• The month of repentance has arrived.
• The trumpet season is approaching.
• And according to an ancient Jewish expression heard every Elul: The King is in the field [and He is coming back].

Here is a link to the entire article:

https://www.worthynews.com/116680-rare-solar-eclipse-ushers-in-elul-as-heavens-mark-biblical-season-of-repentance

(My question: If this is it, are you ready?)

Here are some day-to-day reports on what is happening in the U.S.-Iran war:

Thur. Day 160 (Aug. 6, 2026) (Day 107 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (67 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

• Iran’s Islamic regime is accelerating the execution of protesters in what human-rights advocates describe as a calculated campaign to terrorize the population and prevent another nationwide uprising. (My note: I think I remember Pres. Trump telling protesters “help is on the way” many weeks ago.).
• Multiple credible intelligence reports indicate Yemen’s Houthis, Iraqi militias, and Iran’s IRGC are preparing to launch massive coordinated attacks against Saudi Arabia. Targets are expected to include civilian, energy and oil facilities, critical infrastructure, airports, and ports. The Intel adds that missiles and drones are being repositioned for simultaneous attacks.

Fri. Day 161 (Aug. 7, 2026) (Day 108 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (68 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

• I didn’t record anything.

Sat. Day 162 (Aug. 8, 2026) (Day 109 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (69 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

• I didn’t record anything.

Sun. Day 163 (Aug. 9, 2026) (Day 110 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (70 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

• Israel officially rejected the 15-point Gaza document proposed by the Board of Peace. Netanyahu said, “The IDF will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed.” He added, “When I say Hamas is disarmed, that means the heavy weapons, the less heavy weapons, all the weapons,”
• Netanyahu said, “As for the Gaza Strip, first of all, I want to make the main point clear: as long as I am prime minister, there will be no Palestinian state, not in Gaza and not in Judea and Samaria.”
• The Israeli military has directly informed CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper that Israel does not need approval or support from the US to wage war against Iran, adding “we are currently making preparations to start the war.” (Note: Some think Israel is preparing to resume the war because they no longer believe Pres. Trump intends to complete the job.)

Mon. Day 164 (Aug. 10, 2026) (Day 111 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (71 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

• Iran has deployed regular army special forces into northern Iraq 14 times in the last two months, carrying out a series of ground raids against Iranian Kurdish opposition groups, as Tehran moves to eliminate forces it views as a potential threat to the Islamic Republic.
• Trump appears prepared to let Iran’s worsening economic crisis intensify rather than immediately launch another major military offensive, as the Islamic Republic struggles with a collapsing currency, soaring inflation, disrupted trade and growing pressure from a U.S. naval blockade.
• Trump said the U.S. Navy has “100%” control of the Strait of Hormuz and is enforcing an “infallible” blockade of Iranian ports that he characterized as a “steel wall.”

Tues. Day 164 (Aug. 11, 2026) (Day 112 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (72 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

• Thousands of people in Dubai are fleeing to the city’s major airport, trying to get the first flight out to … anywhere. Dubai airport plunged into chaos today as thousands of travelers, accompanied by their families, rush to leave the city amid growing fears of potential drone attacks by Iran! The locals seem to know something the rest of us have not heard about (yet).
• characterized as a “steel wall.”

Wed. Day 165 (Aug. 12, 2026) (Day 113 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (73 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

• Trump said, The USA has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT! Our Naval Blockade is being called, by everyone, ‘A WALL OF STEEL,’ and there is nothing Iran can do about it.

Finally, are you Rapture Ready?

If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God, who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this.

• duck_daymond@yahoo.com