#ourCOG Daily Brief [April 29, 2026]

Good evening, and welcome to #ourCOG Daily Brief for April 29, 2026.

In today’s top stories, the U.S. Supreme Court has made waves, striking down Louisiana’s congressional map as a race-based gerrymander, continuing its reinterpretation of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The high court is also set to decide on ending deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is pushing a staggering $1.5 trillion defense budget, accelerating the focus on drone warfare, even as reports indicate a concerning rise in left-wing extremist attacks against the political right, including the President himself. On a lighter note, Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood is blooming with magnolias, a beautiful legacy of one woman’s vision from the 1960s. Internationally, the United Arab Emirates is shifting from cooperation to confrontation with Iran after being targeted, urging the U.S. to demand greater concessions from Tehran. Israelis, amidst wars with Iran and Hezbollah, are still demanding an independent inquiry into how the October 7th attacks by Hamas could have happened, with the top court giving the Netanyahu government more time. The broader conflict is also reaching into Asia’s farmlands, with a global fertilizer shortage impacting planting season in Southeast Asia, a cost that U.S. consumers will soon feel at the grocery store.

Turning to our video lineup, we had a couple of segments from Jentezen Franklin TV today. We also heard from Bishop Jason Garner with “The Arch Discipleship Wednesdays” on “Hell’s Spells ch8.”

From our FaithNews RSS feed, the Executive Council has completed its April session, and the First Christian Startup School is now open. We also heard a Presidential Message commemorating 250 Years of the Bible in America, and learned that the City of Refuge will be featured in a new documentary.

In prophecy news, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced a large-scale LGBT festival on the Dead Sea coast, a territory traditionally associated with the biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. This comes as discussions continue around Iran, with Rubio insisting the U.S. won’t tolerate a deal that makes Iran a gatekeeper over Hormuz, while Putin states Tehran is “fighting for its sovereignty.” Additionally, a significant event unfolded yesterday, with over 250 members of the lost Tribe of Menashe returning home to Israel from India, marking a new stage of redemption.

Finally in Jewish history, looking back at April 30th, we recall the year 313, when Licinius defeated Maximinus at the Battle of Tzirallum, making him the Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire. His brother-in-law, Constantine, ruled the West. While Constantine famously made Christianity the state religion, with profound implications for the Jews of Europe, one can only wonder if history might have unfolded differently had Licinius, who subscribed to a policy of tolerance towards Christians, triumphed instead.