The Eric Metaxas Show - Ricky Skaggs (Encore Continued)

Episode Date: July 12, 2023

Ricky Skaggs visits the studio to share music and stories from his career (Encore) ...

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Folks, welcome to the Eric Mattaxas show, sponsored by Legacy Precious Metals. There's never been a better time to invest in precious metals. Visit legacy p.m.investments.com. That's legacy p.m. Investments.com. Taxis show with your host, Eric Mettaxas. Hey, folks. I'm talking to Ricky's kegs. Seriously, look, he's right here. Ricky, welcome. I'm so happy you could be with us in the studio with your mandolin, with or without your mandolin, but even better with your mandolin. I want to talk to you a little about your faith.
Starting point is 00:00:45 And you grew up, obviously you said your father would set you up on the pool pit when you were like five. So you grew up very much in the church. I did. Foot-washing Baptist, you know, is what we were, a free will Baptist. And it was just a beautiful thing to grow up like that, you know. and, you know, a preacher would get up and say, has anybody got a word or a testimony? Well, the testimonies would start, you know.
Starting point is 00:01:17 So, wait, the Baptist would think that somebody could get a word? That sounds more Pentecostal. Well, it wasn't like a word of prophecy. It was like you got a word to say, or do you have something to say, or give your testimony. And so these precious old women of the faith would get up and talk about their son coming to Jesus, you know, and that they'd prayed for him for years, an alcoholic, and God has delivered him, and stuff like that, you know, and just beautiful, beautiful things, you know.
Starting point is 00:01:48 And when they prayed, they all prayed together. And boy, you talk about something that will run the chills up your back is to hear, you know, 75 people in a little small wooden church, you know, just praying to God, just going after it. some of the old men up at the altar just going after it, you know, with the Lord and praying, you know, all at the same time, you know, and that's the way I grew up. So you go up right in the middle of this, but, you know, a lot of people talk about, well, I grew up singing in the church, but then they go on to have kind of a secular career that's extra secular. You know, they really move away from those roots. It doesn't sound like you ever did. No, no, sir. You always believed in Jesus. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:02:35 I, you know. There wasn't even five minutes when you were, you know, on a crack binge or something. This is the place to confess these things. I realize. You know, I've had experiences with the Lord where, you know, Sharon and I both, you know, when we got married, you know, we both had come from a divorced background. She didn't have any kids. I did. I had two older children.
Starting point is 00:03:05 We dedicated our lives to the Lord from that moment on when we got married. And I had recommitted my faith, you know, to Jesus. And I wasn't baptized when I went to the altar when I was 13 years old. I wasn't baptized after that. And not that baptism saves you. Go back. When you went to the altar at 13, so at age 13, you made a profession, yeah. You made a profession of faith.
Starting point is 00:03:33 But, I mean, I get the impression you believed before that, but that for some reason at age 13... Well, I knew that I wasn't saved. I couldn't get to heaven just because of my mom and dad's goodness. You know, God has no grandchildren in heaven. That's all his kids. That's right. You know, and so we all come and have our own relationship with Jesus, and I knew I needed that, you know, and I knew that I needed my sins to be forgiven, you know. and but you know we got baptized in the Holy Spirit you know a few years after after we got married
Starting point is 00:04:10 we knew that there was more we knew that it was more than just just a Baptist you know come to faith that that there was a you know there was you know John the Baptist talked about Jesus would baptize you with water and fire you know and and so we always always wondered what that fire was, you know, and that we wanted, you know, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you know, and I mean, a lot of people listening don't even know what that is. And I, you know, I came to faith around my 25th birthday and I pretty quickly got the whole thing. Yeah. You know, so to me, I was speaking in tongues and believing in the baptism, the Holy Spirit and all of that stuff immediately. But there are a lot of people that they think, well, that's a little odd or that's maybe extra credit
Starting point is 00:05:02 Christianity. I'm not into that stuff. Well, it's, I say it's the full package, but, you know, Jesus is always the full package. He brings everything with him. You know, he brings the bread and the wine when he comes to dinner, you know, in Revelation, you know, not only is he the wine, you know, and is he the bread of life, but he brings it with him when he comes in to have dinner, you know, to say, if you'll open the door to me, I'll come in and sup, you know. and so he's he's all of that you know and we need all of him you know we don't just need
Starting point is 00:05:37 I don't want to I don't want to hold have anything hidden from the Lord because you can't you can't hide anything from the Lord and so you know I just I really believe in communion you know with the Lord every day you know and there's just something about it you know that's very very special that time just to sit and have have time with the Lord you know and just have communion with him, you know? Well, you, I guess, you know, again, when we think about country music, it's a very faith-friendly world. Obviously, Johnny Cash was a very serious believer in Jesus and got to, and one of the things
Starting point is 00:06:18 that I hated about the film, the only thing I hated about the film Walk the Line was that it completely left out how he. gets pulled out of the hell of drugs and alcohol. It was Jesus. Yes, it was. And it was his wife praying for him and leading him along that. And her dad. And, you know, in other was, that's the, that's the heart of the story, folks. If you want to know how Johnny Cash survived and lived and had a career, it's because of Jesus. And when they leave that out, I think to myself, Hollywood tends to do this. We live in a secular culture that secularizes everything. And you think that's, that doesn't make any sense because you can't, there is no story
Starting point is 00:07:02 without that part of the story. No, that's right. And, uh, it, and of course, you knew him personally, as you said earlier. So you knew this was real. I mean, I heard Billy Graham speak in, uh, in, uh, central park. I think it was 1990. And up on the stage, here comes Johnny Cash. And so I think a lot of people that, they forget that a lot of these icons, these American icons, love Jesus. And Johnny was one of them. He was. But so many, I'm just fascinated by how that runs all through, you know, country music.
Starting point is 00:07:38 You can't turn around without bumping into somebody who believes. And there's different, you know, different levels of belief. But I think I told you over the phone the story, I was in the Berlin Zoo in the Hippo house, in the Berlin Zoo. It's like I'm making this up. And this is about five, four, five years ago. and I'm looking for the hippos, can't find the hippos when I turn around, and there's a guy who thinks he's disguised standing there,
Starting point is 00:08:03 but I knew who it was, and it was Chris Christopherson standing there, this legend of legends or whatever. And anyway, I was honored to meet him, but a few days later, a friend of mine sent me Chris Christopherson telling his story of being drug, to use your language, being drug into a church, and having an experience with God that was so profound that he wrote that classic song,
Starting point is 00:08:31 Why Me Lord, which George Jones sang away. But I mean, people need to know that a lot of these folks that they think, well, so-and-so is a legend, he knows Jesus. Yeah, he did. And my friend Connie Smith took him to church. You know, they had a friendship, and she loved his songwriters.
Starting point is 00:08:53 And Connie Smith is the one who's married to Marty Stewart. Yep. Okay. Another dear friend. Yeah. Yep. But, yeah, that was, you know, and I had, I used to host a television show from the Riemann for CMT. And with every guest in every show, we would go down on the steps of the stage there and set and just talk a little bit and bring a guitar or something, have a little guitar pull kind of thing.
Starting point is 00:09:21 And just talk about the Riemann. about how special it was, you know, and he talks about that story, you know, about him going to Jimmy Snow's church. Look, he's talked about it a few times. I've seen him talk about it. I think he talks about it on the Ken Burns series, and I just thought, this is an amazing story because it leads to a glorious song. I'm in a song that is so beautiful and moving.
Starting point is 00:09:45 When we come back, I'm going to continue my conversation with Ricky Skaggs, and he is going to continue the conversation with me. Don't go away. Every day, the parallel economy grows bigger and bigger. It's powered by everyday Americans who are sick and tired of all the woke propaganda being jammed into every product they consume. Big mobile companies are no different. For years, they've been dumping millions into leftist causes. And we had to take it because you needed a cell phone, probably thought there was no alternative.
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Starting point is 00:12:03 Visit legacy pminvestments.com to get started. You're going to love this free new tool that they've added. Please go check it out today. that's legacy pm investments.com welcome back we're talking to rickie skaggs of the musical legend not some other rickie skaggs because there's hundreds of them out there yeah but you're the you're the musician right i can tell by the mandolin right that's attached to you yep uh we were just talking about chris kristopherson telling the story of how he came to
Starting point is 00:12:47 faith and you said your friend uh connie smith smith took him to church and he had there's no way other other way to describe but he had a supernatural experience there's no other way to describe it. Yeah, and it's stayed with him. He's never, he's never rejected it, you know. A lot of people get so judged by Christian people when they get out in the marketplace, you know, and do things, you know, B.J. Thomas is a prime example, you know, he came to know Jesus and, you know, he wanted to do some gospel songs in his show, and people would, you know, stand up and say, ring drops keep falling on my head, you know, and these other things, you know, that he had out. And, you know, he did a gospel record and, you know, and they just dogged him, you know.
Starting point is 00:13:36 And I tell you, I'm sorry, but the church sometimes just butchers people because they want them to come into their world. When the Lord is trying to get us out of the church into the marketplace where the nine to fiveers live and where they work and where they know. need to hear truth, you know, and that's why I do what I do, and that's one of the main reasons I came back to bluegrass because I knew if I play bluegrass, it's like gospel music is so accepted in the bluegrass circles, you know, and I know that we can, we can share from the stage, you know, our faith, and we're not going to get, you know, people throwing rocks at us and, you know, that kind of thing. So it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a great thing we need to be out of the church.
Starting point is 00:14:28 Jesus told me a long time ago, and actually I got a picture I'm going to send to you sometime. I was going to do it before I got up here, but it's a picture of my dad holding me in the churchyard. Okay, in the field. So you're very, very, very little.
Starting point is 00:14:45 Like a year old. Okay. And the church house is behind me. Dad's out in the yard and he's holding me in the churchyard. and the Lord told me many years ago said that your ministry would be in the world but not of it, of the church, but not in it. And at one year old, he gives a witness of my future right there. There I'm in a field, you know, I'm not in the church, I'm in a field,
Starting point is 00:15:16 and that doesn't mean that I can't go to church and do go to church. I do. I love the church. But what I love better is taking the church. with me when I go out to marketplace. Excuse me. That's the whole point of the church, right? We're supposed to get filled up in the church and then take the church, which is to say we are the church, out of the church, into the whole world.
Starting point is 00:15:38 That's right. And yeah, you're singing my song when you say that, not literally, but it's just such an important idea. And listen, there have always been holier than thou biddies in the male version of the biddies who will criticize someone for, you know, going secular or being secular, because they have, it's called bad theology. They do not understand anything. You know, it's like saying, well, is that tree a Christian tree? Has that been baptized? I mean, everything that is good is of God and points to God. And so there are people with really bad theology, and most of them are in the church. And a lot of times, you know, when people interview me or something, they'll say, isn't it really hard to be, it must be really
Starting point is 00:16:23 hard to be a Christian, keep your Christian principles, and go out into beer joints and casinos. To work amongst all those devil worshippers, I think that's what they're trying to say. And I said, well, it's no harder than being a pastor. And I said, there's temptations everywhere. So you just got to make up in your mind that you're going to take the gospel out and take it out to where people really need to hear it. You know, you can't stay isolated in the church. church because that's where people hide. It's where people, you know, I mean, God bless the church. We need to hear good preaching, but we don't need to hear, you know, a self-help message. Well, people make it sound, people like that, make it sound like hearing a song like Ruby,
Starting point is 00:17:10 oh, Ruby, is, you know, it's not, I should be listening only to Christian music. And you think to yourself, what do you mean by that? Anything that is good or true or beautiful points to the sort of of goodness and truth and beauty. There's no way around that. So to try to say, you know, when Larry Norman said, why is the devil have all the good music, the point is he doesn't. That's right. He doesn't.
Starting point is 00:17:33 That's a lie. That is a lot. And so when people say, if it's praise and worship, it's Christian music, and if it's not, actually, I always bring up the example of master and the musician, which was an instrumental by Phil Kage, instrumental album. And it's kind of funny because, because there are no Christian lyrics, you'd say, well, is Silkegee still playing Christian music?
Starting point is 00:17:58 It's kind of funny because it makes you realize those are not God's categories. Those are man's categories. Okay, so your friends, with some friends of mine, we mentioned Chris Reed, who's at Morningstar, and Rick Joyner, and Dutch Sheets, and people who were in the prophetic and that kind of thing. When did you veer into that world? Because there are a lot of believers that they're either unaware of that world or they're suspicious or even hostile toward it.
Starting point is 00:18:32 Sharon and I got to go to Lagos, Nigeria on a pastor's conference retreat, and we were kind of going to supply the music, you know, when we got there. And so Mahesh Chavda was over there. and he was holding services at night after the pastor conferences would be over in the daytime. It was for all these Nigerian pastors that would come and hear teaching by some American guys of pastors. And anyway, I met Mahesh while we were over there, and he told me about a conference that he was going to be going to in Kansas City. And so I wanted to go to that conference in Kansas City. some friends of ours had given us a bunch of cassette tapes of a bunch of the Kansas City guys up there and Bob Jones was one of the people that was up there. So this is the 80s or 90s?
Starting point is 00:19:31 It's the 80s, early 80s. And so anyway, we go up there and I meet Bob and then I meet Rick and it would take me 30 minutes to tell you all the things that happened while Bob. said, well, I want you to go up to the green room up there after we get done, said, I want to pray for you, you know. So he started praying and prophesying, and it was amazing. And then I got to meet Francis Franjapan. I met, you know, James Ryle. I met all these people that were associated with Kansas City Fellowship.
Starting point is 00:20:10 I was about a year and a half ago, Mike Bickle invited me and some others there. And it's an amazing thing because we live in a world where most people, even in the church, are unaware of some of the most amazing things that God is doing. And so I always feel like it's part of my mission to kind of help get that information out to a larger audience. Because the prayer room alone in Kansas City at Kansas City Fellowship, right, I remember what they call the church there. I always forget the name of the church there. But anyway, that Mike Bickle has overseen. It's a prayer room that for decades has been 24-7, nonstop, praying and worshiping.
Starting point is 00:20:57 Bob Jones prophesied that to Mike Bickle, that it would happen. He prophesied it to Mike Bickle before Mike Bickle even believed in any of this stuff. That's what I find so funny. It's like he prophesied it. And Mike Bickle at the time, young man thinking, this guy's nuts. What do I make of this guy?
Starting point is 00:21:12 And Paul Cain and, you know, all this crazy. You just say, this is crazy. stuff except it's it's real yeah and Bob also said that that people young people would be watching things that would come out of Kansas City Fellowship all over the world and he saw a little handheld telephan handheld televisions right you know had no that's before iPhones or any kind of thing was it was even invented decades yes before the iPhone he just saw a vision of this yes and And well, I think we have one minute left in this segment. I want to make sure.
Starting point is 00:21:50 It's just interesting because we all know that there are abuses in every direction. And so we have to have wisdom. But at the same time, it's a pity when we miss out on certain things. And so I was glad to hear that you knew some of these friends of mine and that you're into this stuff. You're still willing to talk to me. The Lord is alive. What? And you were still willing to have me in.
Starting point is 00:22:13 And I'm still willing to talk to you. Yeah. No, but it's just interesting because I think that God is at work now, and he's particularly at work in this way right now. And because in some ways the darkness is getting darker, and so the light is getting lighter. And, you know, we have to be aware of that. Now, when we come back, will you pick a little bit more on that mandolin? Because I was told you knew how to play it. Oh.
Starting point is 00:22:44 Maybe we'll discuss that. Would you buy my lunch? We'll discuss that on the break. And I will, I'm going to take up an offering. We'll be right back. Let me why Relief Factor is so successful at lowering or eliminating pain. I'm often asked that question just the other night. I was asked that question.
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Starting point is 00:25:45 Super Tramp the other day. There's so many different kinds of music that God uses. A lot of secular music, but the beauty of it is from him. It's from his throne, whether people realize it or not. We were talking earlier about the song that Chris Christopherson wrote, Why Me Lord,
Starting point is 00:26:01 right? And I thought, this is the most beautiful song I've ever heard. And then George Jones sings it, and I thought, I didn't think it could be kicked up a notch or whatever. But you know, I don't know that this side of glory we will ever figure out what it is about music that does something. But to me, it's, it's, there is no question that we're made in God's image because
Starting point is 00:26:25 when we make music, there is just something ineffable to use a big word about it. There's something beautiful about it. So I don't know. I thought since you're here and you brought your instrument, maybe, um, you could play something or we could, uh, yeah, we could talk about different songs. God is a creative being, and he made us to be creative, you know. Amen. Everyone has the abilities to create, you know. And so I hear these things. I hear these instrumentals in my head.
Starting point is 00:26:57 And right before Bob Jones always used to say, in that place I go of in of a morning, where I go in, that place I go into of a morning. Of a morning. Yeah. And right before I woke up, I heard this song a couple of weeks ago, maybe three weeks ago. So it better use my pick, so I'm more used to playing it. But I like it with my thumb.
Starting point is 00:27:22 Now, is that a song that came to you originally, that it just kind of drops into your head from someplace? Yep. That's how I get most of the instrumentals that I do. I don't just sit around. I consider that cheating. I just want you to know, folks. That's cheating. I mean, seriously, what an amazing thing.
Starting point is 00:29:00 What a gift. What an absolute gift that you just, it just comes to you. Because you know, you hear this, that Mozart and others, that just that they hear melodies or Beethoven. And that happens to you. Yeah. When I got a hold of that verse where King David was singing near my God to thee, no, he wasn't. I know what you're going to say. He was playing his harp before Saul and demons would leave Saul and Saul would be in his right. mind. When I heard that, I said, Lord, that was, that was an old covenant experience. We got a better covenant on this end because of you. Now, I want, I want you to see me. Yes, I want these songs. I mean, what's King David been doing in heaven all these years? He ain't sitting on his thumbs. He's creating music. And I think those that take it by force, those that take that's part of the kingdom is on earth as it is in heaven i mean these things are in heaven
Starting point is 00:30:04 why can't we have them here so we can bless people that don't know the lord well it's amazing that the song you just played which you said you just kind of heard you know out of nowhere didn't have a spirit well the thing about it is it reminds me of almost a revolutionary uh war era song right it has that like it could have come from that yeah from that era yeah um It's interesting. I wanted to touch on your wife and the whites. Did they not play with T. Bone Burnett in Old Brother Where Art Thow? They did. They were in that movie. Old Brother War Art Thao. They toured, did a bunch of the tours that they did for it.
Starting point is 00:30:43 Down from the Mountain was the name of the tours. And actually came to Carnegie Hall, you know, here. I'm kind of sorry. I missed that one. Yeah, that was a great one. But they're amazing singers. And, you know, we've been married 41 years. Whoa. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:30:58 Consecutively? Yes. Wow. That's very impressive. Yeah. So what's the song on there? I don't know if you want to play that one. I'll fly away.
Starting point is 00:31:06 That's a beautiful, beautiful song. It was a keep on the sunny side. That's the old Carter family song here again, just gleaning from that old stuff. That is so amazing. And they'd been singing that song for years. But that's the one that they want, you know, the brothers, the Cohen brothers. and T-Bone wanted one of them to do is something that
Starting point is 00:31:29 oh yeah we know that we've been singing it for 30 years is that right? Yeah so they did yeah it's just well some of that music I mean I love gospel bluegrass and some of those songs they could just make you cry I'm trying to think now which ones do I have
Starting point is 00:31:48 on my we're going to go to a break and I'll try to remember those songs when we come back folks welcome back I'm talking to Ricky's Kags look he's right here 15 grand Grammy Awards. It's hard, you know, not to officially be a legend once you get more than 10 Grammy awards. You've been given the National Medal of Arts by the president in 2021. You've played everywhere with everybody. In 2020, I wanted to get to this. You had quadruple bypass surgery.
Starting point is 00:32:48 Yeah. Three just wasn't enough. I had to go for four. So were you going to die? What's going on? We're... How are you doing right now? I'm doing great. You seem pretty good. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I'm doing really good. I was so thankful to have it done, you know, and get it taken care of.
Starting point is 00:33:08 Yeah. Yeah. I was just getting real weak, you know, going through the, you know, when we did. Most of the time we take a bus when we go on the road. But there's sometimes, you know, going to Los Angeles or going somewhere in California. You just kind of got to fly, you know, to get out there. And so going through airports with a mandolin on one shoulder and my shoulder bag on the other, you know, and trying to get from gate to gate, you know, a little shortness of breath there.
Starting point is 00:33:38 And so anyway, went and had it checked, which is, you know, amazing that they, once they checked it, they realized that I had a few little blockages. And then they did a deeper check and realized that. that they couldn't do it that it had to be surgery. So anyway, but that was great, and I'm thankful the Lord brought me through that. You know, he told me, he said, you know, the devil is not going to steal you. He is not going to take one second of your life until you've completed everything that I've called you to do. You know, they appeared to me three times.
Starting point is 00:34:20 What? Yeah, in a vision, I saw him three different times. Wait a minute. You saved us for our last segment. You saw the Lord three times in a vision. Can you share a little more? That's just amazing. He said, I'm here to fight for you.
Starting point is 00:34:36 And when I saw him, I'd seen him other times, you know, in visions and stuff. The first time I saw him was, he was on the, he appeared on the ceiling in Kansas City. Graham Kendrick was up leading worship. And me and Rick, Joyner, and James Ryle, and Ed McGlassen, there was a vineyard pastor. We were all setting together, and, you know, I just happened to look up, and on the ceiling was the Lord's face. And that scripture where the Lord inhabits the praises of his people, when the worship would get really intense, his face would get really intense. Now, were you the only one seeing this? No, Rick saw it, and James Ryle, and Ed saw it.
Starting point is 00:35:21 And James, you know, did a picture with an ink pen, drew it out what he saw. And, you know, it was before iPhones. You know, we couldn't like, oh, man, I'm going to get the Lord. You know, and so anyway. But I keep that in my Bible all the time. And but this time when I saw him, he looked different. He looked so regal. He looked so kingly.
Starting point is 00:35:48 This is only just two years ago. Yeah. He looked so kingly. there was just a look on his face that was he knew exactly who he was, that he was
Starting point is 00:36:01 the king of all kings, he was the host of the heavenly armies of God, and he was there to let me know and he said, I am yours and you are mine. And the devil is not going to take one
Starting point is 00:36:17 second of your life until you've completed everything I've called you to do. Now, see, I want everybody who's listening to understand, folks, this is not for Ricky Skaggs. This is for every single one of us. That's right. The Lord wants to have a relationship with every single one of us. You need to know that.
Starting point is 00:36:39 And if you don't, you need to ask him to show you whatever he wants to show you. Give him your life. Because, you know, when I hear things like this, how God, how merciful he is. is that he wants to encourage you. You're at death's door, and he wants to encourage you. And he wants to do things like that with every single one of us. That's right. He does. He's no respecter of persons, you know.
Starting point is 00:37:04 But I guess he knew that I needed to see him. I needed that, you know, and I did. Lord knows I was fearful. Not fearful that I was going to die. I didn't feel like that, you know. But just him showing up like that, just, man, It was amazing. Well, speaking of amazing, there's a song, everybody knows the lyrics to Amazing Grace.
Starting point is 00:37:27 Actually, I had the chutzpah, which is a New York word when I spoke of the 2012 prayer breakfast to end it by leading 2,500 people in singing Amazing Grace, Acapella, with the president and all the other crazies that were seated up there on the dais. But everybody seems to know that song. Maybe we could sing that a little bit on our way out or just a... It's just so beautiful Yes, it is Oh sweet The sound That's safe
Starting point is 00:38:17 Like me But now I see Yeah man That's awesome Who wrote that That is such a beautiful song And there's only beautiful
Starting point is 00:38:49 Well, you know They They always, yes I mean, but, no, John Newton, but I'm saying it's never clear to me, did he just write the lyrics or do you also write the music or whatever? But it's such a, it's one of those songs that it says it all. Yeah. How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. Until you understand you're a wretch in need of saving.
Starting point is 00:39:14 And still you understand that you're broken and you need Jesus to heal you. You're not getting it because you can't, you can't come to him in your strength. No, no. And so that's why that song is so special, probably to so many people. But Ricky, we're out of time. Listen, it's just a joy to get this time with you. I praise God for you. Thank you for sharing your story and for bouncing around the history of music with me.
Starting point is 00:39:41 It's just fun and a blessing. And I'm looking forward to seeing you tonight on the stage of Carnegie Hall. Now, people want to find you. You can go to rickyscags.com. I highly recommend it. Ricky, my brother, God bless you. Thank you. Thank you.
Starting point is 00:39:57 Eric, it's great to get to know you and have a friendship beginning with you. It's just awesome. Thank you. Love what you do. This is one of the most important things we talk about on this program. We don't talk about it enough. But the money that you have in pension funds, 401Ks, whatever it is, is effectively being controlled by people who are working against you. and your values.
Starting point is 00:40:44 A lot of us have money in funds that invest in, oh, Target, Amazon, you name it, all kinds of companies that are working dramatically against everything you believe in. So it's time that we wake up, we understand the financial power that we have and pull our money out of these kinds of places, which is why I have as my guest, the founder and CEO of Inspire on the program, Robert Netsley. Robert, we've talked about this before, but the power that we have financially is huge. But the reason things have gone to hell in a handbasket is because most of us don't have a clue that we have this power.
Starting point is 00:41:33 We kind of act like it's a separate thing. And I go and I vote, you know, every two years or something. But every single day, tons of. of our money is being used against us because of our investments. So before I let you talk, I want to tell people to go to inspireadvisors.com slash Eric, where you can fix this. You can find out what's happening with your money. Inspireadvisors.com slash Eric.
Starting point is 00:42:04 But Robert Nessly, when did you wake up to this and say, I want to solve this? Because this is as big as it gets. It was about 12 years ago when I was working at Wells Fargo investment services. And I just got, you know, kicked in the rear end by discovery that I, here I am president to our local pro-life pregnancy center. And I own three stocks of companies manufacturing abortion drugs. And the Holy Spirit just convicted me on this issue that here I am, you know, fighting to save the lives of these precious unborn. And yet I'm making money every time somebody has an abortion. And then you go down the laundry list of all these other issues, LGBT activism and human trafficking, you know, et cetera, et cetera.
Starting point is 00:42:41 just into what we're doing now. And, and, you know, by God's grace, millions upon millions of Christians and other conservatives with similar values are waking up to the fact, uncomfortable fact that in your investment account, you own and are profiting from things that would make your stomach churn. And not only that, but because of the fund companies that you have your money placed in, those fund companies get to vote for the issues of these companies promote things like we're seeing in the news with Target and others. That's your money at work, but it's at work against you. But it doesn't have to be that way.
Starting point is 00:43:16 So that free report and that there's a way to fix it. It's very easy. Just got to be aware and take some simple steps. And we're putting some free work and reports out for listeners here, inspiredvisors.com slash Eric, like you mentioned. So people are informed and aware of what they can do to fix this because if we don't fix it. If you just sit there blindly going along, like, next you can get it better. It's going to all get worse.
Starting point is 00:43:39 And frankly, it's going to be your fault for not doing anything. You know, we've got to do something about it and, you know, let God have the results. But we can't just sit here and do nothing because that's how we got here in the first place. We've all got to become activists. We've all got to, I think a lot of us just thought like, well, I'm just going to go along in my life. And, you know, I go to church on Sunday. And, well, folks, there are things you need to do. And if you don't do it, you're responsible for things going to hell in a handbasket.
Starting point is 00:44:07 So I want to ask you, please, first of all, this is free. Okay, this is free. InspireAdvisors.com slash Eric. This is the solution. Every single one of us needs to get our dollars and cents out of these places with a satanic agenda. InspireAdvisors.com slash Eric. When you go there, you will see that this is not going to cost you anything. They're there to help you.
Starting point is 00:44:37 And I just wish everyone would do this. I'll say it again, inspireadvisors.com slash Eric, inspireadvisors.com slash Eric. Robert Nessley, thank you so much. Thank you.

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