#ourCOG Daily Brief [March 23, 2026]

Good evening, and welcome to #ourCOG Daily Brief for March 23, 2026.

Today, a key Supreme Court case regarding mail-in ballots could reshape the 2026 midterm elections by restricting the counting of late-arriving votes. Meanwhile, the ongoing situation with Iran continues to dominate headlines. President Trump has extended his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, delaying power plant strikes for five days amid “very good and productive conversations” that he hopes will lead to “a complete and total resolution.” However, the stakes remain incredibly high, with the U.S. reportedly considering a high-risk, high-reward move to seize Iran’s Kharg Island, deploying over 2,000 Marines to the Persian Gulf to gain leverage over its oil-shipping infrastructure. In other domestic news, Maine has seen its communities rally in support of immigrants amidst a federal enforcement surge, revealing unexpected bonds. Additionally, student journalists in at least six states are clashing with universities over First Amendment rights, leading to legislative proposals to protect them. On the world stage, Europe’s energy policy, reshaped by the Ukraine war, is now being severely tested by the Iran conflict, exposing lingering gaps in its defenses. And speaking of Iran, they’ve countered Trump’s ultimatum by threatening to “completely” close the Strait of Hormuz themselves, escalating tensions as both sides threaten critical infrastructure. On a lighter note, you can now track the thousands of miles-long migration routes of the endangered monarch butterfly across the Americas with a new Bluetooth-enabled smartphone app.

Turning our attention to recent videos, we’ve been featuring thought-provoking content including “What Happens When You Speak Faith Into Existence #jesussaves #jesus #shorts,” a segment titled “When the waiting comes,” and a powerful message from Perry Stone on “The Lord Said To Stop This!”

From our FaithNews feed, we’ve been following the “Church Planting Intensive In Session,” with a reminder of a previous “Church Planting Intensive Set for March 11-13.” We also hear about the impactful “‘Jesus Wells’ Campaign” which focuses on the “World’s Thirstiest Communities,” and the exciting news that a “Ministry Wins ‘Best Children’s Feature’ at Movieguide® Awards.”

In prophecy news, tensions remain incredibly high in the Middle East as Iran has threatened to completely close the Strait of Hormuz if President Trump makes good on his promise to target Iranian energy facilities, a move that comes as Israel continues its strikes on Lebanon. This follows earlier reports from the past few days, including a leaked memo allegedly from the Biden CIA that branded traditional family values as a sign of white “extremism.” The geopolitical landscape continues to be a focus, with discussions on how America’s potential defeat of Iran could signal the start of the Messiah’s Clock. We also note a historic heat wave that has been setting records across the U.S. this March, with many locations from California to Missouri potentially seeing new all-time highs for the month.

Finally, in Jewish history, looking back to March 24th, we recall several significant events. In 809, Harun al-Rashid, the fifth caliph of the Abbasid Empire, passed away; he was known for a decree requiring Jews to wear a yellow belt in 807. The year 1244 marked the passing of Rabbi Meir Abulafya Ha-Levi, an opponent of Maimonides and author of Yad Ramah. Moving to 1267, the Jewish community in Barcelona received permission to repair their synagogue. However, in the same year, Louis IX, who had previously ordered the burning of Jewish books, made plans for expulsion after confiscating Jewish property and ordered them to wear a “Jew’s badge” and “to listen to missionary sermons.” Lastly, in 1284, we note the activities of Hugues de Lusignan.