#ourCOG Daily Brief [September 12, 2026]

Good evening, and welcome to #ourCOG Daily Brief for September 12, 2026.

In today’s U.S. news, discussions continue around who truly governs national elections, with the Constitution giving states and Congress oversight, a power now being tested by the Trump administration in its pursuit of voter fraud. Speaking of the President, Donald Trump was in Dallas this week, working to improve his public approval ahead of the crucial midterm elections, where he asserted that he feels “on the ballot” himself. Meanwhile, Americans’ foreign policy views appear to be diverging along partisan lines 25 years after the Sept. 11 attacks, an event that, contrary to predictions of a “clash of civilizations,” has shaped global relations in far more complex ways. On a more practical note, some are turning to foraging for food as an alternative to rising grocery prices. Internationally, Israel’s upcoming election sees a former Jewish police officer join the Arab Muslim party Ra’am as a top candidate, signaling interesting political shifts. One of the last three whaling countries is moving towards a ban, reflecting a change in public opinion, and in Brazil, public trust in the supreme court is declining due to disputes between justices, all ahead of a tight presidential election.

Also on our radar, we have these video titles: “Sunday Morning Service (10AM),” “Saturate September 26 WK 2 | Saturated For The Opposition | Luke 4:1-15 | Bishop Jason Garner,” and “The Jewish New Year 5787 – Concealed Warning | Perry Stone.”

And from our FaithNews feed, we’re tracking these stories: “Smoky Mountain Children’s Home Dedicates Renovated Cottage,” “Groups Host 9/11 Memorial Climb,” “More than 500 Jordanians Come to Christ at Event,” and “Church of God Membership Tops 10 Million.”

Turning to prophecy news, recent headlines cover a woman’s viral claim of witnessing a “racist baby,” sparking widespread online discussion. Earlier in the week, Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthis reportedly seized a strategic island at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, a move opening a new front in the ongoing Iran war and threatening Saudi oil exports. A government watchdog group has also raised alarms about foreign money influencing U.S. politics through nonprofits, urging lawmakers to take action. And finally, contrary to some predictions of a 1929-style economic collapse following past trade tensions, a new report suggests global exports are actually surging to historically high levels.

Finally, in Jewish history, this day, September 12th, marks a couple of significant events. In 490 BCE, the Greeks famously defeated the Persians at the Battle of Marathon, a conflict led by Darius I, the same ruler under whom the Second Temple was built. It’s quite possible Jewish soldiers served in the Persian army during that time. Much later, in 1213, during the Albigensian Crusade, Simon de Montfort secured a victory at the Battle of Muret. While the Crusades primarily targeted heresies within the Roman Catholic Church, Jewish communities, regrettably, often became unintended victims of these widespread religious efforts.