#ourCOG Daily Brief [February 17, 2026]

Good evening, and welcome to #ourCOG Daily Brief for February 17, 2026.

In today’s top stories, we mourn the passing of civil rights icon Jesse Jackson, reflecting on his impactful journey from protest to presidential runs. Meanwhile, U.S. policy towards Cuba is under debate, with discussions ranging from regime change to a deal, possibly to curb China’s growing presence on the island. The U.S. military made headlines by boarding another sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, tracked all the way from the Caribbean, in an effort to target illicit Venezuelan oil. Domestically, Secretary of State Marco Rubio adopted a softer but firm tone with European allies regarding the Trump administration’s intent to reshape trans-Atlantic alliances, and an ICE official’s statement suggests officers may have lied about an immigrant shooting, continuing a worrying pattern. On the world stage, Israel’s “Yellow Line” in Gaza continues to creep deeper, taking Palestinian land and lives and fostering a sense of entrapment. Olympic pressure is mounting for Mikaela Shiffrin as she prepares for her best event, the slalom, and U.S.-Iran nuclear talks concluded with some progress but no clear path forward amidst ongoing tensions.

Turning to our digital content, today’s video highlights include “Praise and Worship – February 15, 2026,” a look at “Jesus Works In Prayer Meetings,” and “Chapel” featuring Mark Walker, dated February 17, 2026.

From our FaithNews RSS feed, we’re tracking announcements for a Church Planting Intensive Set for March 11-13, news of a Church Filing an Emergency Appeal to Resume Worship, the popular podcast ‘The Bible Recap’ hitting the Top 100 on Apple Podcasts, and a Multi Million Dollar Gift Launching a New Era for SMCH.

In prophecy news, global investors are recognizing Israel as a resilient financial hub, as seen with Hamilton Lane’s recent milestone. We also note a significant winter storm bringing high winds, heavy rain, and snow to California. President Trump has called on Hamas to disarm immediately ahead of a peace council meeting on Gaza. First Lady Melania Trump shared a heartfelt message about the role of love letters in America’s military community. Finally, discussions continue about the necessary alliances for the Ezekiel War, with many believing they are not just forming, but are already in place, fulfilling prophecies from Ezekiel 36-37.

And finally, in Jewish history, we remember this day, February 18. In 296 CE, Cassius Dio, a historian often praised for his favorable accounts of Jewish zeal and self-sacrifice, was appointed Praefectus urbi of Rome. Later, in 654 CE, history records that in Toledo, Spain, King Receswinth of the Visigoths forced “Judaizing Christians”—converted Jews who continued to practice Jewish traditions—to abandon their heritage.