FIRST ON FOX: As President-elect Donald Trump assembles his new Cabinet, Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, has a message not just of hope and healing as the nation moves forward after the presidential election but also for Thanksgiving and the entire holiday season.
"We did have a very contentious election," Jeffress told Fox News Digital in an exclusive on-camera video. (See the video at the top of this article.)
"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," said the faith leader who is known nationwide.
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"And I sense a very upbeat spirit with President Trump," said Jeffress.
"I talked to him a few days ago, and he is focused, no doubt about it, on his agenda that he ran on."
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."
Will Jeffress advise Trump in any formal way on faith or prayer matters as the new administration prepares to take office?
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 think that will continue. I've known President Trump, as I said, for 10 years, and we've been friends. And we stay in frequent contact either through text or phone calls.
"And I look forward to that friendship continuing for many years," he said.
This Thanksgiving, the pastor said his message for all "would really be God's message from Scripture. It's found in I Thessalonians 5:18, in which Paul said, ‘In everything we should give thanks.’"
Jeffress went on, "Most people don't know that the first proclamation for Thanksgiving was issued by Abraham Lincoln in 1863, right in the middle of the Civil War when our nation was being torn apart.
"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."
The pastor noted that even though the nation has gone through a tense and divisive election season, "we should be grateful that we had the opportunity to choose our leaders."
Yes, "there are economic hardships that many families are facing" — no doubt about that, he noted.
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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 yes, while "there are hurricanes and floods, those are the exceptions most of the time," he said.
"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."
After all, he added, "there's a reason this holiday is called Thanksgiving — and not Thanks-feeling."
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He also said, "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."
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 News contributor.
His daily radio program, "Pathway to Victory," is heard on more than 1,400 stations nationwide.
His weekly television program is seen in 195 countries around the world, including Fox Nation.
He is the author of nearly 30 books.
Sydney Borchers and Brooke Singman, both of Fox News Digital, contributed reporting.
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