Speaking to Fox News Digital just days before President Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president, Pastor Robert Jeffress of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas, expressed “thanks to God” for Trump’s re-election and his hope for the country’s future.
“I believe that most evangelicals, conservative Catholics, and conservative Jews view President Trump’s re-election with a sense of relief and gratitude to God“, said the religious leader in an interview in front of the camera. (Watch the video at the top of this article.)
“There is a very real sense that our country has been in a downward spiral for the last four years, largely because of our departure from the Judeo-Christian foundations of our nation,” Jeffress said. “For many people, I believe the re-election of President Trump represents God’s giving America another chance — perhaps its last chance — to reverse this downward trajectory.”
And “I’m talking about the things that have caused confusion in our country for the last four years,” he said.
“The acceptance of the transgender agenda, which confuses our children. It wavers in ours support of Israelour only reliable ally in the Middle East. And following extreme environmental positions that may actually have caused, rather than prevented, some of the disasters we see.”
Pastor Robert Jeffress of Dallas, Texas and President Donald Trump in a photo during the first Trump administration. (Olivier Douliery/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
All of these things, Jeffress said, “have caused believers to mourn — but feel great hope now that President Trump is about to enter the White House [again] and it will be filled with prayers for him.”
The pastor will participate in certain inauguration events, he said, but was not at liberty to discuss details ahead of those events.
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Jeffress said he hopes all Americans will listen to the Bible and pray for all “those in power” and in positions of authority in this country.
“We pray for all leaders.”
“I know some of our viewers and readers might say, ‘Pastor, are you a hypocrite? Would you say the same thing about Joe Biden?'” Jeffress said. “And I actually wrote commentary for Fox News when Biden was elected, saying that we may regret his election, but we must obey the Bible and pray for him.”
Added Jeffress to Fox News Digital: “The Bible says we don’t choose who we pray for. We pray for all leaders. And I would remind people that if President Trump wins his agenda, which I think he will, then all of America wins, not just Republicans but our entire country.”
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump cross their arms during the “Salute to America” event on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington, DC (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
He continued: “President Trump was my good friend the last 10 years. I spoke to him recently. I will talk to him again next week. And I really believe that he wants to unite this country.”
And “I think people will be pleasantly surprised by the unity he’s creating in our country,” Jeffress said. “Not everyone will agree with every policy he puts in place, but I think they will see that he wants what’s best for the country we all love.”
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Jeffress said that for his part, “there is no official” role as a religious advisor, but “an unofficial friendship that I’ve been cultivating for the last 10 years. I just love it President Trump“, he said. “He is a very nice person. And I can tell you, he loves our country.”
“He loves America and wants what’s best for our country.”
He said that “there is no reasonable reason for him to give up a life of luxury to do this, to risk his life as he has done twice in the last few months. He is doing it because he loves America and wants what is best for our country.
“And I think Americans should be able to follow any man or woman who feels that way about our country.”
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is pictured at an election night party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Evan Vucci/AP)
Jeffress added that “the greatness of America is in our goodness. And the Bible says that the only goodness we can have is our right relationship with God. And I hope that we begin not only this New Year, but this new term of the Trump administration with a new commitment to follow God. If God blesses a nation, nothing can prevent His purpose or our success.”
“Merciful and Mighty God”
At the same time, Jeffress emphasized how important it is to recognize the very real struggles and challenges — “and I know that right now at the forefront of people’s thinking fires in Los Angeles and the destruction it caused.”
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For tragedies like this, he said, “it’s natural for people to ask ‘why.’ the question we should be asking is ‘who’ who controls a world that seems out of control?”
Jeffress shared an example from his own life.
“A few years ago, my wife, Amy, and me we were driving at night, out in the middle of west texas, out in the dark during a heavy rain storm – and our lights broke and went out. And so we drove in the dark.
“I couldn’t see six inches in front of me, but I noticed an 18-wheeler behind me, and I slowed down and let him pass me. And when he was in front of me, I focused on his tail lights. And I followed him to the nearest town .”
“Never forget that God is love.”
“And when we find ourselves in a vortex of confusion and suffering,” Jeffress added, “we wonder why these things happen. There are three lights about God that we can focus on. First, God is full of love. The Bible says that God is close to the brokenhearted. Never forget that God is love.”
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“Second, God is sovereign. That means He is in control. Nothing can surprise Him.
“And finally, God is powerful enough to take the worst things that happen to us and use them for our good. The Apostle Paul said, ‘For God makes all things work together for good’.”
“God will surely bring us to the other side.” (iStock)
“For those who love him, it doesn’t mean that everything that happens to us is good, but it means that God is so merciful and powerful that he can take the worst things in our life, like a fire, a flood, a broken relationship, an illness — He can take those horrible things and use them for our good.”
Jeffress added, “If we focus on those truths about God when we’re going through a storm, then God will surely bring us to the other side.”
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Jeffress is senior pastor of his 16,000-member church in Dallas and Fox News contributor. His daily radio program “The Road to Victory” is heard on more than 1,400 stations across the country.
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His weekly television program is watched in 195 countries around the world, including his own Fox Nation.
He is the author of almost 30 books.
