#ourCOG Daily Brief [October 4, 2025]

Good evening, and welcome to #ourCOG Daily Brief for October 4, 2025.

In U.S. news, federal workers are facing heightened anxiety as a potential government shutdown looms, following months of interagency upheaval and layoffs, leaving many uncertain about their future. This financial wrangling in Washington is also reverberating in rural America, where debates over Medicaid are challenging hospitals in communities like Spruce Pine, North Carolina, struggling to cover costs. Meanwhile, high-ranking women in the military are battling Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, determined to protect the gains they’ve made in their careers and the right for women to fight. President Trump’s expansive use of the National Guard, seen most recently in Portland, Oregon, for crime and immigration issues, continues to be a point of discussion, with his ideas for Gaza drawing historical parallels to Northern Ireland peace efforts. On the world stage, Israeli bombing in Gaza City has significantly subsided, paving the way for a U.S.-backed peace plan championed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. President Trump indicated Hamas is ready for peace, and Hamas has indeed expressed willingness to release hostages and transfer power to other Palestinians, though disarmament remains a point of contention. Across the globe, from Nepal to Madagascar and now Morocco, a wave of Gen Z-led protests, organized via social media, has already toppled two governments, raising questions about how far this movement will spread.

And now, a look at some of our recent video offerings. We’ve been featuring ‘A Breakthrough Church’ from Acts 8 with Bishop Jason Garner, a revealing discussion on ‘The SHOCKING Truth About Church Hurt: It’s Not Who You Think,’ and a powerful message on ‘The One Thing Culture Can’t Cancel: Truth,’ from the Between Sundays Podcast.

From our FaithNews RSS feed, we’re tracking the dedication of the International Offices Prayer Center, Upward Sports celebrating 30 years of ministry impact through sports, the launch of an AI Assistant for Women’s Health Centers, and Cook casting an inaugural vision for Lee University.

In the realm of prophecy news, significant developments include Hamas agreeing to release all Israeli hostages under President Trump’s Gaza plan, though seeking further negotiations on other terms. This comes as the federal government shutdown continues, with underlying debates over taxpayer support for abortion and transgender medical procedures. Politically, President Trump was seen taunting Democratic leaders with ‘Trump 2028’ hats during failed shutdown negotiations, while the UN Secretary-General has urged all parties to commit to Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan, which is also backed by Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu.

Finally, in Jewish history, October 5th marks several pivotal moments. In 610 AD, the Byzantine Emperor Phocas, during whose reign Jews in Antioch revolted, was murdered, making way for his successor Heraclius. Heraclius, an Armenian Christian, would then begin a nine-year rule over Jerusalem marked by campaigns of vengeance against Jews and decrees for their forcible conversion across the Byzantine Empire and North Africa. However, 816 AD saw the second coronation of Louis the Pious, who, like his father Charlemagne, granted strict protection to Jews, respecting them as merchants, though he too believed in their eventual conversion.