FIRST ON FOX: As President-elect Donald Trump assembles his new Cupboard, Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, has a message not simply of hope and therapeutic because the nation strikes ahead after the presidential election but additionally for Thanksgiving and the whole vacation season.
“We did have a very contentious election,” Jeffress informed Fox Information Digital in an unique on-camera video. (See the video on the high of this text.)
“We’ve had many contentious elections throughout history. But I think now that the election is over, now that President Trump has been re-elected, I really sense on both sides of the aisle there’s a desire to come together and get something positive done for the country,” mentioned the religion chief who is thought nationwide.
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“And I sense a very upbeat spirit with President Trump,” mentioned Jeffress.
“I talked to him a few days ago, and he is focused, no doubt about it, on his agenda that he ran on.”
Pastor Robert Jeffress, at left, with President Donald Trump throughout the first Trump administration. Mentioned Jeffress of Trump this week, “He’s extremely upbeat about the future of the country.” (Olivier Douliery/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photographs)
And “he’s extremely upbeat and positive about the future of the country.”
Added Jeffress, “You know, I think people who worried or [even] heard that, if he’s elected, he’s going to create this dystopian theocracy that’s going to oppress people — I don’t think any of that is true.”
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“I’ve seen and I’ve known the president for 10 years,” he continued. “And I think he is able to transcend political differences and able to work on what’s best for America. So I hope all Americans will pray for him and give him a chance to do what he promised to do.”
“That’s the key to having that heart of gratitude — finding the good things to concentrate on.”
Will Jeffress advise Trump in any formal means on religion or prayer issues as the brand new administration prepares to take workplace?
The pastor responded, “Back in 2016, when President Trump ran for the first time, his campaign created a spiritual advisers committee. Once he won that 2016 election, that ended and it morphed into a more informal group of people who talked with the president when he requested that.”
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Added Jeffress, “So I feel that can proceed. I’ve identified President Trump, as I mentioned, for 10 years, and we have been pals. And we keep in frequent contact both by textual content or telephone calls.
“And I stay up for that friendship persevering with for a few years,” he mentioned.
President-elect Trump arrives to speak during an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Center on Nov. 6, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
This Thanksgiving, the pastor said his message for all “would actually be God’s message from Scripture. It is present in I Thessalonians 5:18, through which Paul mentioned, ‘In everything we should give thanks.’”
Jeffress went on, “Most individuals do not know that the first proclamation for Thanksgiving was issued by Abraham Lincoln in 1863, proper in the course of the Civil Warfare when our nation was being torn aside.
“Lincoln said, ‘There are some things we should be grateful for.’ And I think that’s the key to having that heart of gratitude — finding the good things to concentrate on.”
As hundreds of thousands of People have a good time Thanksgiving this week, a famous pastor reminds folks of the necessity to keep grateful for a myriad of blessings. (iStock)
The pastor famous that despite the fact that the nation has gone by a tense and divisive election season, “we must be grateful that we had the chance to decide on our leaders.”
Sure, “there are economic hardships that many families are facing” — little question about that, he famous.
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“But the fact is the average family of four making $50,000 a year is wealthier than 89% of the rest of the world.”
And sure, whereas “there are hurricanes and floods, those are the exceptions most of the time,” he mentioned.
People could be grateful, mentioned Jeffress, “that we had the opportunity to choose our leaders.” (Ildar Abulkhanov)
“There are so many things we can be thankful for. And I know people sometimes say to me, ‘Pastor, I don’t feel thankful.’ Well, I have found that it’s a lot easier to ‘act yourself’ into a feeling than to ‘feel yourself’ into an action.”
In any case, he added, “there’s a reason this holiday is called Thanksgiving — and not Thanks-feeling.”
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He additionally mentioned, “God is in control of everything that happens, and we can trust in that. And I would also just remind Christians, especially, that the Bible teaches that government’s responsibility is to leave us alone as we practice our faith.”
“God is in control of everything that happens, and we can trust in that.”
He added, “We’re never going to bring about spiritual change through government. It’s not government’s job or ability to change the hearts of people. Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ can do that. And that’s something we have to practice.”
Jeffress is senior pastor of his 16,000-member church in Dallas and is a Fox Information contributor.
His each day radio program, “Pathway to Victory,” is heard on greater than 1,400 stations nationwide.
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His weekly tv program is seen in 195 international locations all over the world, together with Fox Nation.
He’s the creator of almost 30 books.
Sydney Borchers and Brooke Singman, each of Fox Information Digital, contributed reporting.
