As President-elect Donald Trump assembles his new Cabinet, Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, is praying for gratitude, not just for hope and healing after the presidential election, but as the country moves forward. It also conveyed a message for the festival and the holiday season as a whole. .
“It was certainly a very contentious election,” Jeffress told Fox News Digital in an exclusive on-camera video. (See the video at the top of this article.)
“Throughout history, there have been many controversial elections. But now that the election is over and President Trump has been re-elected, there is a desire on both sides of the aisle to come together and get something positive. “I really feel like this is what I did for my country,” said the nationally known faith leader.
Bible says Christians were key to Trump's victory, American faith leaders believe
“And I see a very bright spirit in President Trump,” Jeffress said.
“I spoke to him a few days ago and he's definitely focused on the agenda he's running.”
Pastor Robert Jeffress (left) and President Donald Trump during the first Trump administration. “He's very optimistic about the future of the country,” Jeffress said of Trump this week. (Olivier Drierly/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“He's very optimistic and positive about the future of this country.”
Jeffress added, “You know, worrying and [even] I've heard that if elected he will create a dystopian theocracy that oppresses people, but I don't think any of that is true. ”
Virginia pastor says humans are called to “complete” rather than “compete” with each other
“I've seen the president and I've known him for 10 years,” he continued. “And I think he's able to transcend political differences and work on what's best for America. So I hope all Americans will pray for him and give him the opportunity to do what he promised. I would like you to give it to me.”
“That's the key to being grateful: finding good things to focus on.”
As the new administration prepares to take office, will Mr. Jeffress plan to advise Mr. Trump in any formal way on matters of faith and prayer?
The pastor said, “When President Trump first ran for office in 2016, his campaign established a spiritual advisory board. Once President Trump won the 2016 election, that came to an end and they became more informal than interacting with the president.” “We've turned into a group of people.” when he requested it. ”
America's 'all-faith' militant chaplain becomes focus of new movie
Jeffress added, “So I think that's going to continue. Like I said, I've known President Trump for 10 years and we're friends. We communicate a lot through text messages and phone calls.” Ta.
“And I look forward to that friendship continuing for many years,” he said.
President-elect Trump arrives to speak at an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Center on November 6, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
This Thanksgiving, the pastor said that the message for everyone is “the very message of God from the Bible, found in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, where Paul says, “We You have to be grateful for everything.''
Jeffress continued, “Most people don't know that the first Thanksgiving Proclamation was issued by Abraham Lincoln in 1863. That was in the midst of the Civil War, when our nation was being torn apart. .
“Lincoln said, 'There are some things we should be thankful for,' and I think that's the key to having a grateful heart and finding good things to focus on.”
As millions of Americans celebrate Thanksgiving this week, a prominent pastor will remind people of the need to remain grateful for our countless blessings. (St. Petersburg)
The pastor said that despite a season of tension and division in the country, “we should be grateful for the opportunity to choose our leaders.”
Yes, “many families are facing financial hardship” — that's for sure, he noted.
Click here to sign up for our lifestyle newsletter
“But the reality is that the average family of four earning $50,000 a year is better off than 89 percent of the rest of the world.”
And, sure, “there are hurricanes and floods, but those are almost always the exceptions,” he said.
“Americans should be grateful for the opportunity to choose their leaders,” Jeffress said. (Ildar Aburkhanov)
“There are so many things we can be thankful for. And sometimes people say to me, 'Pastor, I'm not grateful.' feel thank you. ” Yes, I found it much easier to express my emotions by “acting myself” than to take action by “feeling myself.” ”
After all, he added, “there's a reason this holiday is called Thanksgiving and not Thanksgiving.”
For more lifestyle articles, visit: www.foxnews.com/lifestyle
He also said, “God is in control of everything that happens and we can trust that. We also want to remind Christians, especially, that it is the government's responsibility to live out our faith.” “The Bible teaches us to leave us alone.”
“We can trust God because He is in control of everything that happens.”
He added, “We are never going to bring about spiritual change through government. It is not the job or ability of government to change people's hearts. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ can do that. “This is something we must practice.”
Jeffress is the senior pastor of a 16,000-member church in Dallas and a contributor to Fox News.
His daily radio show, “Path to Victory,” is heard on more than 1,400 stations nationwide.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
His weekly television show is seen in 195 countries around the world, including on Fox Nation.
He is the author of nearly 30 books.
Fox News Digital's Sydney Borchers and Brooke Singman contributed reporting.
