#ourCOG Daily Brief [December 19, 2025]

Good evening, and welcome to #ourCOG Daily Brief for December 19, 2025.

Today’s international headlines bring us news from across the globe. In Venezuela, leader Nicolás Maduro has followed in Hugo Chávez’s footsteps by ushering in an early Christmas season, a tactic often used by authoritarian leaders. Meanwhile, in Israel, a remarkable trend has emerged among Jewish Israelis, with many reporting a rise in religious belief following the ordeal of hostages held in Hamas tunnels. And in Lebanon, despite being battered and under pressure to disarm, Hezbollah’s Shiite supporters remain unbowed, expressing pride in their sacrifices and looking forward to revenge, viewing the militia’s arms as “existential.”

Moving on to our video lineup, here’s a look at some of the recent titles available: We have “Christmas Eve Candlelight” from Jentezen Franklin, “Will Jews Eventually Leave New York And America? | Episode 1315” by Perry Stone, and “This Week On Jentezen Franklin TV #blessed.”

From our FaithNews RSS feed, we have several notable updates: Smith has been honored with the Spirit of Azusa Award. We’re also seeing more Americans embracing ‘Animal Gifting’ this Christmas season. A new foundation has announced a partnership to support military families in need, and Church of God Publications has released its 75th Anniversary Edition “Red Back Hymnal.”

Now, for a look at the latest news from a prophecy perspective. The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on two more International Criminal Court judges for investigating Israeli officials, drawing strong condemnation from the ICC. In related news, the Mossad chief has warned that Iran still aims to destroy Israel and must be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons. Amid rising antisemitism and anti-Israel protests, ICEJ USA has launched a ‘Christian Declaration Against Antisemitism.’ And on the political front, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt detailed President Trump’s midterm message to seniors, focusing on no tax on Social Security, increased tax refunds in 2026, and a targeted agenda to reduce the cost of living.

Finally, in Jewish history, looking back at this day, December 19th. In 324, Licinius abdicated his position, leaving Constantine I, often called “the first Christian Emperor,” in control of the Roman Empire, a development that proved to be detrimental to the Jewish people. Later, in 1154, with the coronation of Henry II as King of England, conditions for Jews improved significantly, leading to their spread across various towns within five years. However, a notable restriction was that they were not permitted to bury their dead anywhere but in London until 1177.