#ourCOG Daily Brief [January 6, 2026]

Good evening, and welcome to #ourCOG Daily Brief for January 6, 2026.

In today’s top stories, the Trump administration’s dramatic intervention in Venezuela, culminating in the capture of Nicolás Maduro, is making headlines. This bold move, which sees Maduro now facing trial in a U.S. courtroom, raises significant questions about the “America First” and “No forever wars” tenets of Trump’s campaign, while simultaneously evoking the 1904 Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine. The administration asserts it will now “run” Venezuela, signaling a warning to other world leaders and prompting widespread debate on the legality and geopolitical implications of such actions. Domestically, the ongoing housing crisis has brought rent control back into the spotlight for cities like New York, though experts caution that deeper solutions, including building millions more homes, are ultimately required. Internationally, French First Lady Brigitte Macron successfully won her defamation case in France but faces a tougher challenge replicating that success in the U.S. Meanwhile, a reporter in Senegal explores the vibrant “débrouillard” spirit, where locals create opportunities from limited resources, and Russia continues to pursue economic and military advantages in the thawing Arctic, actively seeking international partners.

For our video updates, we’ve recently featured insightful content including “Fasting: stay humble and hungry,” an invitation to “Join Us For The 2026 Prophetic Summit At OCI!,” and details on “Warrior-Fest 2026 | Join Perry & Others Live at OCI This Spring!”

From our FaithNews RSS feed, we’ve learned that Smith was honored with the Spirit of Azusa Award, more Americans are embracing ‘Animal Gifting’ this Christmas, a new foundation partnership aims to support Military Families in Need, and Church of God Publications has released the 75th Anniversary Edition of the “Red Back Hymnal.”

In prophecy news, the U.S. military raid that captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro has dominated the headlines. On January 6th, Democrats faced criticism for what some are calling “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” as many who previously criticized Maduro’s continued rule are now outraged by Trump’s actions. The day before, on January 5th, reports suggested that Israelis view the U.S. strikes in Caracas as a potential blow to Hezbollah and IRGC operations, which are partly financed through South American drug trafficking, potentially disrupting a key financial hub for terror organizations. Earlier, on January 4th, President Trump shared a photo on Truth Social purportedly showing the captured Maduro aboard a U.S. warship. This followed Trump’s announcement on January 3rd that “large scale strikes” on Venezuela had taken place, confirming Maduro and his wife were “captured and flown out of the Country,” a development that drew quick condemnation and concern globally.

Finally, in Jewish history, this day, January 6th, holds several significant markers. In 548, it marked the last year the Church in Jerusalem observed the birth of Jesus on this date, before the Western Church began celebrating Christmas on December 25th in the late 300s. Moving to the year 1300, following the conquest of Damascus by Mahmud Ghazan, the city’s Jews were tragically forced back into the role of “dhimmis,” or official second-class citizens. In 1275, Raymond of Penyafort, a Spanish Dominican Friar, famously convinced King James to order a public and one-sided debate between Rabbi Moshe ben Nahman and Paulus Christiani, a baptized Jew, with the explicit purpose of proving Christianity’s superiority and encouraging Jewish conversion. And in 1286, we note the coronation of… [end of available content].