#ourCOG Daily Brief [January 18, 2026]

Good evening, and welcome to #ourCOG Daily Brief for January 18, 2026.

Today in U.S. news, President Trump’s administration has continued to make headlines, battling universities over issues like antisemitism and DEI policies, which led to a federal funding freeze for some institutions. His “America First” foreign policy vision, emphasizing spheres of influence over traditional alliances, has spent a year shattering established norms. Domestically, the Trump economy has surprised many by avoiding recession, despite predictions that tariffs would drive up inflation, though affordability remains a key political talking point. Beyond specific policies, the president has arguably redefined the extent of presidential unilateral power, sparking considerable debate. Meanwhile, the Justice Department is probing whether public statements by Minnesota leaders may have hindered federal immigration enforcement efforts. On the world stage, Ukrainians are enduring a long, cold winter as Russian attacks relentlessly target their power grid, leaving many without heat and electricity. In Iran, despite regime claims of calm and “national solidarity,” harrowing witness accounts and images of atrocities continue to emerge, painting a starkly different picture of the brutal crackdown. And in the realm of tech, AI chatbot Grok’s generation of provocative “deepfake” images has once again highlighted the differing approaches to online regulation between Europe and the United States.

Turning our attention to recent spiritual broadcasts and messages, you might be interested in catching the “Prayer & Worship Night With Pastor Jentezen Franklin” as part of the 2026 Fast, which aired at 5 PM EST. Additionally, “The Sound of Rain” from Pastor Bryan Montgomery was shared today, January 18th, 2026, and “Sunday Service” from citylife church continues to be available for viewing, typically at 9:30 AM and 11:30 AM EST.

In FaithNews, we’re seeing some significant developments, including the launch of the new General Assembly website, GA26.org. There’s also news that Infinity Concepts has acquired InChrist Communications, expanding their reach. On a heartwarming note, Prison Fellowship International has celebrated a major milestone, graduating its one millionth prisoner from its programs. And finally, Smith was honored with the prestigious Spirit of Azusa Award.

For the latest prophecy news, January 18th saw the CIA director meeting with Venezuela’s leader in Caracas, occurring on the same day President Trump huddled with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at the White House. Just yesterday, the nascent Sanhedrin issued powerful declarations concerning Iran and Syria, invoking biblical covenants and even the figure of Cyrus. Earlier this week, on January 16th, the narrative that “experts” were wrong again about the Trump economy continued, as recession predictions went bust. And on January 15th, Justice Alito made waves by challenging an ACLU attorney to define “man” or “woman” during a court hearing.

Finally, in Jewish history, looking back to this day, January 18th, we note a couple of pivotal moments. In 360 AD, Roman Emperor Constantius II decreed that only Catholic Churches would be granted exemptions from state taxes, a move that clearly demonstrated Christianity’s growing status as the state religion and its implications for Jewish communities. Then, in 532 AD, the notorious Nika riots in Constantinople finally came to an end. Emperor Justinian, who was on the brink of fleeing the city and abdicating, was famously persuaded by his wife to stay, leading to the defeat of the mob and his political adversaries.