#ourCOG Daily Brief [May 4, 2026]

Good evening, and welcome to #ourCOG Daily Brief for May 4, 2026.

In today’s U.S. news, the national debate over abortion has intensified, with a nationwide ruling now pushing the issue back to the Supreme Court and the campaign trail, despite an increase in abortions since Roe v. Wade was overturned, largely due to medication delivered by mail. Meanwhile, millions of student loan borrowers are bracing for higher monthly payments after a Biden-era repayment plan ended, adding to rising costs for gas, food, and healthcare. On a lighter note, Joliet, Illinois, celebrated the 100th anniversary of Route 66 with the “Big House Ballgame,” honoring prison-yard baseball’s roots. Additionally, a new kids’ TV show, ‘Wowsabout,’ features Muppets exploring national parks like Sequoia. In legal news, immigrant advocates are challenging Trump administration policies in a federal lawsuit in Boston, following a decline in naturalizations. Internationally, President Trump’s threats to pull troops from Germany appear to be having diminishing returns in Europe, with leaders seemingly unfazed. In science, researchers are on the trail of primates in Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park, hoping to uncover clues about human evolution, while in Venezuela, the ouster of Nicolás Maduro has yet to bring noticeable economic relief, with the country still battling triple-digit inflation.

Turning our attention to video content, you can catch up on “International Praise Church Men’s Health Awareness” scheduled for June 5-6, 2026, at 5071 Percival Rd. in Elgin, SC. We also have a “Prophetic Update!” from Perry & Jonathan Stone, and the “Dallas Church of God Livestream” available for viewing.

From the FaithNews RSS feed, recent updates include “Hundreds Attend Smoky Mountain Gathering,” “ECFA Applauds House Vote on Clergy Act,” “Executive Council Completes April Session,” and “First Christian Startup School Now Open.”

In prophecy news, archaeologists in Egypt have recently uncovered a large statue believed to depict King Ramses II at the Tel Pharaoh site, who is thought to be the pharaoh from the biblical account of Moses. Other discussions include the question of whether a “Third Testament” is needed to supplement or replace the Old and New Testaments. Domestically, the U.S. Justice Department has launched investigations into 36 Illinois school districts over allegations of LGBT indoctrination. And finally, President Donald Trump has indicated his administration plans to release “a lot of things” about unidentified flying objects to the public, suggesting some of it will be “very interesting.”

Finally, looking back at Jewish history for May 5th, in 1028, King Alfonso V of Castile passed away. He had notably presided over the Council of Leon in 1020, which adopted laws creating a certain amount of equality between Christians and Jews, amidst the threat of Muslim forces. This was around the time the philosopher Solomon ibn Gabriol was born. Later, in 1109, the Moors recaptured Valencia from the Christians, a city where the Jewish quarter was historically located on the eastern side of the Rahbat el-qadi. And in 1210, King Alfonso III of Portugal was born; his reign was remembered as a period of comparative benevolence for his Jewish subjects.