← WHOA That's Good Podcast
WHOA That's Good Podcast
Can ChatGPT Help Us Study the Bible Better? | Sadie & Christian | David Platt
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- [00:02]
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- [01:00]
Sadie Robertson
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- [01:24]
Christian Huff
We've had it for three years now.
- [01:25]
Sadie Robertson
And y'all, it has still been legitimately the best night's sleep we've had. Even honey has her own little Helix mat are a Helix family through and through. So go to helixsleep.com sadie for 27% off site wide and a free bedding bundle with a sheet set and mattress protector with any luxe or elite mattress order exclusive for our listeners of the wood. That's good podcast guys. That's helixleep.com Sadie for 27% off site wide and a free bedding bundle with any Lux or Elite mattress order. Again, that's helixsleep.com Sadie.
- [02:07]
Christian Huff
What'S up? Everybody happy? Well that's good Wednesday.
- [02:10]
Sadie Robertson
I hope you're having a great week, but per usual it is about to.
- [02:13]
Christian Huff
Get so much better. Y'all. We have one of my favorite guests back on the podcast today. I know you're thinking I'm gonna say you, but it's actually David Platt.
- [02:23]
David Platt
I know who you were gonna we.
- [02:24]
Christian Huff
Have David Platt back on the podcast with a brand new book called how to Read the Bible. Which don't we all need to to read the Bible more. So, David, thank you so much for coming back on the podcast.
- [02:35]
David Platt
This is like pure joy. It's pure joy just to be hanging out with you guys. So it's been a little too long for that. And so, yes, hopefully in a way that would benefit others is even better.
- [02:46]
Christian Huff
Yes.
- [02:46]
David Platt
It has been way too long.
- [02:47]
Christian Huff
It's been way too long. I was thinking about Heather today. I love your wife. She is one of the most fun. Just like every time I'm at Passion or if gathering or anything, like, if I see her in the room, I'm going to her. Like, she's always having fun. She's just confident in who she is.
- [03:02]
David Platt
And.
- [03:03]
Christian Huff
And I love her. I miss her. So you'll have to tell her that we gotta hang.
- [03:08]
David Platt
I will definitely tell her that. And yes, when she's in the room, I'm going right toward her as well.
- [03:14]
Christian Huff
That's awesome. Well, Christian wanted to be on today because one, he loves you and two, he's your greatest hype guy. I wish people could hear what he was saying to David before we started recording.
- [03:26]
David Platt
I was just complimenting David's bulging biceps. You're smuggling so many Bibles. You're just.
- [03:34]
I know there are more valuable things we can talk about than my bicep, but, man, I really appreciate that, bro. That means a lot.
- [03:43]
Christian Huff
See, it's so funny because one of the things I fell in love with Christian for, which was, like, it made me feel so awkward, but I still loved, is that when we would get around people like you, David, who I respect so much, sometimes I tend to go more quiet and, like, be a little bit more reserved. Christian does not. He never changes who he is, no matter who he's in front of. And it. It so much more fun and life giving. And so thanks for taking the bicep compliment.
- [04:11]
David Platt
Not that he would say that about my biceps, but it's one of the things I love about a Christian too, is, yes, I love being backstage in an event with Christian.
- [04:22]
Christian Huff
It's the best.
- [04:23]
David Platt
In all seriousness, like, yes, just because there's joy and laughter in that, but there's also just humility and authenticity. And I really appreciate that about Christian.
- [04:34]
Thank you for saying that. That means a lot.
- [04:35]
Christian Huff
That's so sweet. I love. Okay, well, Christian mentioned that you've been smuggling Bibles. You have been on some epic adventures lately that we've been following along on Instagram. So update us. Like, tell the people where you've been and what you've been.
- [04:48]
David Platt
That's the thing he Can't. He starts every video by saying, I can't say where I'm at. Okay, so you can't.
- [04:53]
He can't say different trips are different. But yeah, I'd rarely say like where I'm at at the time. But like looking back, I could, like, like I just. The most recent one, I was in Bangladesh and so, man. So this gathering, they said, so Bengali speaking Muslims are like the largest unreached people group in the world. Just millions and millions of people with little to no access to the gospel. But there are followers of Jesus in Bangladesh. Very tiny percentage and it's costly. Like my first morning there's. I was asking this sister in Christ, it was my first conversation that morning, tell me about the cost of following Jesus here. And she immediately started talking about martyrs. She knows. And she said we have money set aside in our ministry budget for hospital bills when people get beaten, sometimes by family members or. Yeah, for either becoming a follower of Jesus or for sharing the gospel. And then they have money set aside for funerals to help with funeral costs. So it was just sobering from the very beginning. But so then, okay, that's a sobering picture. But then we get to this place where we're having this gathering and they say there's going to be 500 people in this room. And I'm like, there's no chance you can get 500 people in here. And indeed, they just crammed in this room. 500 people and sitting on the floor, but pure joy, just worshiping Jesus, sitting under his word all day long, praying, studying the word. And the whole few days we were there, it was all focused on how do we keep spreading the gospel in hard places here in Bangladesh and then wherever God might lead us, no matter what it costs. And so yeah, that's like this is what life is about. It's about a word, a God who's worthy of our life and spending our lives making them known no matter what it costs. So, yeah, that was Bangladesh.
- [07:05]
Christian Huff
That's powerful. So for those who don't know your story and your background, David wrote a book called Radical is one of my favorite books. Christian and I both were very, very impacted by your book and you've been on the podcast before, but it was years ago talking about that and just your story and different things. But I want to catch people up to speed. We have a lot of new listeners and not everyone knows your story, so we. When was it for you that you went from? And I hate to say it like this, but like a Christian like you Go to church to like a radical believer to, to even say this is life, you know, where a lot of people, they're like, yeah, that should be my life. But that's not even how I think about life, even as a believer.
- [07:48]
David Platt
Yeah, I, I would say I, I would point to two particular moments. So one was in college when so I'd grown up by God's grace, like hearing the gospel in a great home church that, yeah, yeah, pointed me to Jesus. And so I, yeah, was following Jesus. But this one moment in college, I remember a brother sat down with me, just opened God's word and from COVID to cover, just walked about 45 minutes from Genesis to Revelation and showed God's passion for his glory and all the nations. And like this is where, this is where the whole book is headed. Like all of history is headed to Jesus being praised by people from every nation, tribe, tongue, language in the world. And so if that's where all history is headed, then this is what we need to live for. And it was just like a jaw on the ground moment for me, like, whoa, this should be like my purpose. And this is all of our, everybody who's got the spirit of God in us should be living for that day, like spending our lives for that day. So that was a, that like trajectory changing moment in my life in college. But then fast forward a few years, I ended up going to seminary, ended up, started pastoring this church in Birmingham, Alabama. And yeah, I all of a sudden found myself pastoring a pretty good sized church, living a pretty comfortable life as a pastor, kind of living out this American church dream. And it was literally just reading the Bible and just saying, wait a second, if there are billions of people who have no knowledge of the gospel and if heaven and hell are at stake, and I'm following a king, savior, Lord, who says, deny yourself, take up a cross, die to yourself and follow me. My life, just comfortable, casual Christianity makes no sense. And so it was like a crisis of belief, like do I really believe what I'm preaching here? And so that led down a journey where Heather and I made some significant changes in our life. Just selling the house we were living in, just making major adjustments in our life, and then walking our church family through that. And then that's. That radical was just the overflow of that. It wasn't written like to be this book that a bunch of people read. It was just the idea was we're just going to self publish it and so that people who came to our church would realize why we're Doing some things a little different than just while we're really pushing back. I say a little different. A lot different. Pushing back on just casual cultural Christianity because we don't believe it's actually Christianity. And so. But then that book got in the hands of some others and ended up being published. So anyway, those two moments were pretty defining moments. Just a conviction of my own life that led to changes in my life and then the way that flowed out in my family and then in leadership in the church and writing some of those things.
- [10:57]
Well, that's awesome.
- [10:59]
Christian Huff
That's so good.
- [11:00]
David Platt
You feel like, you know, because the book is called how to Read the Bible. How did. Do you feel like that moment? Like, how did that moment change for you? Like how you were reading the Bible before that moment versus after the moment? Because you talk about, you know, praying through the text and in these different kind of things that you do when you study.
- [11:19]
Christian Huff
Yeah. If you're. That is an interesting question. Like, you were a pastor at the time, so you had clearly read your Bible a lot. What was it about you reading your Bible? And that moment that was like, man, I'm off.
- [11:29]
David Platt
Yeah, that's so good. And this is, this is part of why I start like this book with how not to read the Bible, because I think it's actually possible to read the Bible. Well, I would say it's possible to read the Bible in ways that are dangerous and deceptive for us, in ways that are actually harmful for us. Because if we're not careful, we can read the Bible and twist it to say things we want it to say or kind of ignore the things we don't really want to hear. And really, when you think about it, that's exactly what I was doing. I would argue that's like what casual cultural Christianity is doing. It's like taking the Jesus of the Bible and when he says, go sell all you have, give to the poor or deny yourself, take up a cross, follow me or love me in a way that makes your closest relationships in the world look like hate in comparison. We kind of take those passages, we're like, well, what Jesus really meant was. And we start twisting him into like this nice middle class American Jesus that looks like us and thinks like us and doesn't really call us to any extremes and is fine with us kind of coasting through till we get to heaven. And all of a sudden, like, we've actually taken Bible reading. We've created Jesus, God in our own image, which totally distorts our worship. Now when we gather together in our churches, we sing our songs and lift up our hands. We're actually not singing to Jesus, we're singing worshiping ourselves, but in the name of Jesus. And it's. So we've got to be really careful then to like read the Bible and really soak it in. I mean, that's where I mentioned it was like crisis of faith moment. Like, do I really believe what I'm reading? Like this book says that people who don't know Jesus, like, aren't forgiven of their sin through faith in Jesus will spend an eternity in never ending judgment. Like, if I really believe that, then okay, there needs to be some urgency in my life to make this good news known. Like, I can't just like coast through here. So that's why. But it all comes back to like reading the Bible truly, like being careful not to read it in unhelpful ways, but then really soaking it in for what it's says and then living according to it. Like that's foundational. Because I wouldn't, I wouldn't want to call anybody to like do anything radical or extreme just because David Platt says it or this teacher or you know, say to your Christian, say it. Like, no, like what? But if Jesus said it, if this is the way Jesus said is actually life, then yes, yeah, let's, let's give our, our everything in our lives to this. Like this word is worth our lives in that way. So. But I, I do think it all comes back to really, truly reading med on the Bible, understanding what it says, and then live according to what it says. And I, I think kind of a casual cultural Christianity is, is not doing that.
- [14:38]
Sadie Robertson
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- [15:25]
Christian Huff
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- [15:26]
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- [16:20]
David Platt
What do you feel like a dangerous caveat can be? You know, obviously just coming from Bangladesh to where there's not an excess of access to information compared to something like, you know, the west to where there's commentaries on everything and all these excess of stuff that you can study and nuances of scripture and stuff like that, what do you think a dangerous caveat can be to have so much information compared to someone like Bangladesh that is just specifically just reading the Bible.
- [16:51]
Yeah man. The first thing that comes to my mind is, so this would be another like danger that God Himself in His Word tells us. Like Matthew 7 and James 1 both. Jesus says, Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. Rain came, wind blew, beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. So just hearing God's Word and even like understanding what it says, using all these resources, like just hearing it actually leads to total disaster. And James 1, don't merely listen to the Word and deceive yourselves. Do what it says. So just listening to the Word, like just getting information, just hearing sermons on Sunday and reading the Bible during the week, just hearing actually leads to deception and destruction. Like that's what Matthew 7 and James 1 are saying. So like application, like what are we doing with what we have? And so I think about like these brothers and sisters in Bangladesh that I was with. Like they know to live according to this Word and specifically to speak this Word, to share this Word with others. They Know it's going to be costly, but they're saying yes. That's what this whole few days were about. Like, these brothers and sisters saying, yes, this is worth giving our lives to make known. So what about us? So are we. And that's. That's just. Yeah. For all of us, wherever we live in the world, are we listening to the Word? And this is one of the things I try to dive into in the book. Like, putting into practice in our lives. And not just putting into practice, like living according to it, but actually speaking it, actually sharing it with others. Because if we're not doing that, then we're. We're still, like, missing the whole point in ways that can be really deceptive. But that's where. Wow. Bible reading, Bible intake can be deceptive and destructive if we're not careful.
- [18:53]
Christian Huff
That is so good. And like, something I've honestly never heard anybody say. And which is funny because you just told me two places in the Bible that it says that. So that's on me. That's me missing it right there in the Word. But it goes totally against just the cultural norm of like, checking a box of Bible reading, which I know is not. Like, I'm always like, that's not helpful. It's not just, oh, yeah, just get in your time, check the box. Like, if you're not actually learning, if you're not actually applying, it's not changing you. Because sometimes, you know, you meet people and they are, like, the most disciplined. Every single morning, they read for 30 minutes, and it's like, you don't see any fruit coming from that. It's like, you're hearing it, but it has not changed. It hasn't, like, pierced your heart. You know, this is so amazing that we're having this conversation because we get asked on this podcast, Bible reading questions all the time. Like, people sending questions, how to read my Bible, how to get started. Where do I start? We actually had someone on Ter Lee Cobble who does, you know, the. Yeah. And she t. That, like, was so good for our listeners. It led so many people to go in and doing her thing, which has been so awesome. Reading the Bible, learning the Bible. But, yeah, that's just a common question. And you address this in your book, like, all the different reasons why people might be not reading their Bible. So let's talk about those for a little bit. What are some of the most common things you hear when it comes to people being hesitant or struggling with Bible reading?
- [20:23]
David Platt
Well, I. I think a lot of them come back to, like, just not knowing. Like, how do. Psalm 119, 162. I rejoice at your word. Like one who finds great spoil. Like, spoil. Like, there's treasure in this book, like, waiting for us every morning. But I think most people are like, how do I. How do I get the treasure? How do I experience, like, the spoil? And so that's where it's gonna take some time. Like, you don't discover treasure by just, like, stumbling on it. Like, you've gotta. It's. It's gonna involve more than, like, a verse for the day. Like, it's gonna. Which, I'm not saying a verse for the day is bad, but you're not going to get to the treasure without the time to dive into it. But that's where I think a lot of people's misconception. I mean, you talked about, like, checking off a box is we disconnect Bible reading from the beauty of intimacy in a relationship with God. Like, I. We were talking about Heather earlier, my wife. I just. I try to couch some of the examples in this book in the context of, like, when Heather and I started dating. And, like, she would send me. So this is before texting or anything like that. She would send me a letter. And she's the first girl I ever dated, which sounds noble, but it was just totally socially awkward. And praise God, he provided someone who was attracted to my social awkwardness. And so she would start writing letters. And I remember I'd get a letter from her and it'd be like, dear David. I was like, dear, that's a good start. And then she would say, like, I'm praying for you. And I'd be like, what does she mean by that? Like, just praying for me. Like, she prays for anybody. Or, like, and when she prays for her future husband, she prays for me. And then she put, like, a smiley face. I'd be like, why did she put a smiley face right there? And I would just obsess over every word. And you'd be like, well, you were clearly obsessed. And. Yeah, that's kind of the point. Like, I was in love, and I was just devouring her every word. Like, how much more so with, like, God, like, I'm just thinking about. I'm just thinking about my time with God this morning. Like, this morning I was meeting with God, like, the God who spoke and the whole world was created, and he was listening to me. And, like, amidst everything else he's got going on, and he was. He was talking to me. He was speaking to me. Like, I was in conversation with him like this and showing me treasure that. Oh, man. Psalm 112 this morning. He is not afraid. I can't remember. I think it's verse seven. He is not afraid of bad news. His heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. Like, it was so good. Like, I just had like a nightmare last night about something family related. It's like. And it just kind of exposed one of my biggest fears. And the Lord just spoke to me like, and that just happened to be my. The chapter I was reading in Psalms today. But his heart is not afraid. He's not afraid of bad news. His heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. It was so like, that's, that's treasure. And I'm not saying every morning is like revival, but like, God wants intimacy with you. Like, that's amazing. And so. Sorry, I'm getting off from your question.
- [23:56]
Christian Huff
Keep going, keep going.
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David Platt
The fact that we have this available to us on a daily basis, like, why would we spend however many hours we spend every day, like, scrolling through stuff on the phone? And I'm not saying it's all bad, but like, oh, we have like, life, the word of God, Him, God speaking directly to us. Like, this is amazing. So I just think most Christians, when they think Bible reading, don't think intimate love relationship with the God of the universe. And that's what I want people to not only think I want them, I want, I'm zealous for people to experience that.
- [24:35]
Christian Huff
Great. I love that. I love that you were like, I don't even know the question was. And sorry, I'm like, no, keep going. Because it's so fun to see someone so in love with God. Like, it's fun to see someone in love, period. Whenever, like, your best friend is falling in love and you're getting all the updates and you're hearing all the things. It's so fun. And you're like, so locked in and you're so happy for them and you're like, so excited for them to hear all about how the relationship is progressing. And it's so rare you ever see someone get that fired up about their love for God. It's just, you don't see that. And. And maybe that's because we're not experiencing that. And not because God isn't offering it. Not because God's love letter isn't there, not because he isn't extending that every single day, but because we are not diving in, we're not showing up, we're not going on the date, you know, And So I just. I actually just love that whole moment because I'm like, yes, this is so good and so beautiful. And I think for me, like, when it comes to Bible reading, this is just an honest confession. This is not. This is just where I tend to. To fall is that I have always been like this. Like, if I watch a movie, like, I don't really have to see the movie again. If I read a book, I don't really want to read the book again. I've never watched. Rewatched a TV show. I was like, I saw that TV show. Why would I rewatch that TV show? You know? And so for me, sometimes I'm like, oh, I know that chapter. Oh, I know that. But then it's like, crazy because every time I read it, I'm like, oh, I didn't know that, or I forgot that, or God reveals himself in a new way for that. But it's like my mind or in my flesh, it gets like, lackadaisical. Like, oh, you know, I've read Psalms.
- [26:19]
Sadie Robertson
Before, but then like, to hear you.
- [26:21]
Christian Huff
Be like, Psalms 112, and I'm like, I didn't know it said that, you know? And so I have to, like, remind myself that this is new every day. Like, this word is not just like a book that you're. You've read and you're rereading or like a movie that you're re watching because it's active and alive. Like, it's. It's. It's new to. It's like new mercies every day. And if I'm experiencing something today I wasn't experiencing three years ago, I can read the same verse, and it's awakening my soul in a new way. And I don't know if you hear that from people when it comes to struggling, reading the Bible, or what different people struggle with. I think a lot of. A lot of people ask me the question, like, where do you start? And so just practically, where do you tell people to start whenever they're starting to want to know more about God and start this love relationship with him.
- [27:07]
Sadie Robertson
And reading Friends, I want to talk to y'all about something that is very important to me, and that is marriage. Marriage is one of the sweetest gifts God gives us. But that doesn't mean it is always easy. And today, with so much technology at our fingertips, it's even easier for little cracks to form without us even noticing. And that's why I'm so grateful for Covenant Eyes Christian. And I have seen just how much stronger marriage is when you're willing to bring everything to the light. And that's exactly what Covenant Eyes helps couples do. Their victory software creates accountability by monitoring screen activity and sending reports to someone you trust, whether that's your spouse, a close friend, someone who can just walk with you through things. It's not about catching each other or feeling ashamed. It's actually about protecting what matters most. It's about healing, honesty, and staying connected to God's love Victory. About Covenant Eyes is such a simple but powerful way to guard your marriage and keep growing stronger to God each and every day. Christian and I have talked so much on this podcast, even about accountability, about confession, about the power of.
- [28:08]
Christian Huff
Of it.
- [28:09]
Sadie Robertson
And I really do think that that is where freedom comes. I think that, I mean, the Bible says, you know, confess your sins to.
- [28:14]
Christian Huff
Another, you will be healed.
- [28:15]
Sadie Robertson
And so I think this is so important if you're married, engaged, or even just dreaming about the future. I can't recommend Covenant Eyes Enough. Go to Covenant Eyes.com Sadie to learn more and start your journey towards a healthier, stronger marriage today. That's Covenant Eyes.com Sadie.
- [28:34]
David Platt
That'S what I love about, like, Bible reading truly is a supernatural experience. Like, this book is unlike any other book. It's breathed out by God. His spirit has inspired this book, and not just inspired it, like, over centuries through the human authors who wrote it. But his spirit is actively opening our eyes in this moment that we're reading it. That's even different from yesterday when I was reading it.
- [29:04]
Christian Huff
It.
- [29:04]
David Platt
So, yeah, and. Or last year when I read it. So it's. It's. And again, it's.
- [29:09]
Sadie Robertson
What.
- [29:09]
David Platt
It's one of the many things that separates the Bible apart from any other books. So it's not even just for. Because I totally get exactly what you're saying. Like, yeah, but it's not even just for. That's where. That's why we can read the same stuff year after year after year. If you read the Bible through, like, every year, you could read the same stuff every year. But it's the. You're walking through this today. The Holy Spirit of God is speaking through this Word in a fresh way to you in this moment, because you're in relationship with him and he's applying that word in your life in a way. Like he was doing that with Psalm 112 in light of a nightmare I'd had the night before. Things that just come to the surface that I'm afraid of or I get worried or anxious about that are different now than they were five years ago or 10 years ago. But it's just interactive supernatural experience with God. So where do you start? My encouragement would be for anybody just to have some kind of intentional plan for reading through the Bible. So I walked through one Bible reading plan that Heather and I have used together for years by a guy named Robert Murray McShane that some people could just search online. But there's tons of Bible reading plans. There would be at least a chapter or two chapters a day. I should add. Real kind of. A quick side note. One of the things Heather and I have loved for years about reading the same. So we don't like, sit down and read the Bible together. We're both having our time in the Lord just separately alone. But not that it would be bad to read it together, but it is so good every day to be in the same word. So when we get up, so when we have that time with the Lord in the morning, then we're going to do our CrossFit workout or whatever we're talking about. Man, was Isaiah 11 not amazing? Or was Psalm 112 not so encouraging or this or that? It just. Or convicting in this way, like, it just provides. And then we invite our kids in on the journey too. So they're doing the same Bible reading we actually do as our church family reads through a Bible reading plan together. So I would just encourage doing that in community as well. But start with some kind of intentional plan for reading through the Bible and ideally, yeah, do it with some others and just wait and see how. And again, not every day is like, wow, that was perfect for this day. But on so many days, the word that you just so happen to be reading that day, the Spirit just takes it and applies it to what's going on in your life in that day in a beautiful way.
- [31:41]
Yeah, that's awesome because I even think about it too. We talked about earlier, like, like the practicality of it. And I'm going to give you a moment in a minute to flex. Not your biceps, but this is not supposed to be like an intentional flex, but it's just cool because you're not necessarily like, there's so many applications to reading. Like, yes, yes. There's things that in the moment, like this morning, you know, for the Lord to speak to you in that way, but. But also, you know, like the way Paul talks about like a shield and armor, like to where throughout your day, like you're able to recite text back. I mean, that's Jesus when he's tipped into the wilderness, like he Recites texts back to the enemy. And, you know, there's so many things in our life that you know you're going to be tempted with certain things. And if you don't know a rebuttal or if you don't know how to take every thought captive, if you don't know how to, if you don't know the word, then you're going to be so much more susceptible. And I was going to say for you, like, it's cool hearing you on the podcast and for someone listening, like, you have so much validity to what you're speaking to. And I was going to ask you, because you, I know that you can recite so much of the Bible. Like, at Passion, you quoted Romans 1 through chapter 8. Like, that's eight chapters of Romans. So just, just to kind of give yourself some credibility.
- [32:59]
What all.
- [33:00]
Which you don't really need it, but what all can you, like, just from memory, recite from the Bible?
- [33:07]
Oh, man.
- [33:07]
Because it just shows you the work that you've put in. And like, yes, like, you know, you don't necessarily always have to pull out your Bible when you need to think of something or, or say something, like, it's. It's truly written on your heart.
- [33:20]
Oh, bro, there's so much there. Well, and I, I'll tell you guys this. Last night I was hanging out with a brother in Christ who has. He's memorized the whole New Testament, and I can't remember how many books in the Old Testament, but a number of books in the Old Testament. So, yeah, I just, So I don't have all that. That. So that, that's, that's flexible. That's, that's total.
- [33:47]
Christian Huff
But that is so cool.
- [33:49]
David Platt
He's so humble. He loves the Lord, he walks with God actually has a resource. Like, part of me was hesitant to say his name because he's so humble, but he has a great resource that people could look up just on Bible memorizations. If you just look up Bible memorization by Andy Davis. It's so good. It's so good. And this, yeah, this brother just walks with God. But that's where early on, like, in my journey with Jesus, I had a brother just look at me in the eye and say, david, you look at men and women who have been used mightily by God, the Word was hidden in their hearts and it just flowed through them. They spoke it, they knew it, it just flowed. And so he just challenged me to memorize scripture. And that's when I was in high school. And this guy who was actually leading musical worship at a camp I was at. He just put down the guitar at one point, and he, like, quoted, like, Philippians two, like, just a chapter of the Bible. And I'd never heard anybody quote a chapter of the Bible. And I was like, whoa, that was amazing. And so, yeah, that's when I started, like, okay, I want to try to try to do this and try to start memorizing, like, chapters or books in the Bible. Which I know as soon as I say that, there's so many people who might think, well, yeah, I can't do that. And that's one of the things I walk through in this book. Because with rare exceptions, most of us different people have different abilities to memorize, but most of us can memorize Scripture. Like, the example I use is if. Like, if I said I'd give you a thousand dollars for every verse you can memorize over the next 24 hours, I think you'd, like, figure it out. Like, Jesus wept. Like, that was pretty easy. Or just you figure out how to memorize just for the next day. But Psalm 119 says, God's word is worth more than thousands of gold and silver pieces. So that's really the question, like, what's more valuable to us, like, money or God's word itself? And so, just to start, I think about one brother in our church family. We were, like, walking through First John as a church, and we challenged the church to memorize First John, chapter one. Just the first chapter. And this guy just think, just ordinary Joe. Like, he just. And he. He's like, okay, I'm going to try this. I don't think he'd really done Bible memorization at all. He starts doing it is nine, ten verses. And he invites his teenage son to do it with him. And so they start doing it on their drive to school in the morning. And they did it, like, over the course of a few months, memorized the whole chapter. And he was like, pastor, this is amazing. I've memorized a chapter of the Bible. But then his son looked at him, was like, we're not stopping now, are we? And so they kept going. His son was like, let's do the whole book. They memorized the whole book together. And, like, how much. What more valuable thing can you do, like, one in your life than hide the word that brings life in your mind and heart? And then to do it with somebody else, like, do it with your teenage son. Like, this is so valuable to do it with a friend, whoever it is. Like, oh. So I would just I would just encourage Bible memorization will transform your life. It will totally transform your prayer life. It'll transform your relationships. The way you're able to encourage other brothers and sisters in Christ with just word. It'll transform. Like you talked about, you're facing temptation to have the sword of the Spirit, the word of God in the middle of that temptation. It'll transform your ability to share the gospel. Like this is like all the things we'll talk about with people today that we actually have words that can bring people from everlasting death to everlasting life. Like to have some of those memorized would be really good. Instead of just weather and sports and politics or whatever else. Like be able to speak that which brings people from death to life. So yeah, it'll transform your life and others lives.
- [37:40]
Christian Huff
It's great and it really is so true. It's a matter of like time and where you're investing your time. Because when you say like you can do it, the truth is you have done it just with so many other things. Like when you bring up sports or different statistics or the news or like for me I am very like, I have a very visual memory, so I, or like audible too. So if I hear sermons I can like reenact what that person said and I remember it so clearly. But then I have a little bit harder time of like reading and memorizing. So I've tried now to like listen to the Bible too. Like just ways that I understand it a little bit better or maybe it might stick with me a little bit more or even like worship music is a huge thing for me because obviously that's not, I'm not to say that's to replace Bible reading, but so many worship songs have like our scripture. And so if there are songs or old hymns that you can learn that are literally quoting the scripture. Like I grew up in a very traditional church and we just sang hymns and I didn't realize how many of the hymns were complete scripture until I started reading the scripture and realizing, oh, I know this whole part because I sing this, because I've sang this over myself. And so I think like whenever you tap into the ways that are more natural for you to learn it, it's so helpful to really getting it into your heart and in a natural way. One thing I want to ask you about is just like Bible literacy and just understanding kind of what we're reading because we talked earlier about how this book is so different than any other book. And one of the things that really made me start to realize that is when I started understanding, like, the prophecies that were spoken about Jesus. Because you, like, hear that growing up in church and you're kind of learning it. But it wasn't until I later grew up and understood, like, oh, like 500 years before someone said this, and then Jesus fulfilled that exact same thing that they said was gonna happen. Or even, like I was this week, I was studying something on whenever, you know, Judas, like, betrayed Jesus and I didn't realize. Like, in Psalms, there's a verse that talks about how, like, my closest friend will betray me and all this stuff and just like, like, reading stuff like that. This is crazy because this is hundreds of years before that actually happened. And then you just realize, like, this is. This is a story like, that God narrated in the craziest, craziest way possible. And it gets, like, really exciting when you start understanding, like, what that means.
- [40:11]
David Platt
Y'All.
- [40:12]
Sadie Robertson
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- [40:40]
Christian Huff
To good sleep in our house, when.
- [40:42]
Sadie Robertson
We'Re traveling, we actually miss our bed because we love our Helix mattress so much. Nothing cradles your body like a Helix does. No tossing and turn, get comfy, and no more waking up with different aches and pains. Good sleep just hits different. When you got a Helix, y'all, we love it. The first time we slept in it, we're like, okay, this is awesome. We have loved it for three years now and even gotten our friends a Helix mattress when they got married and.
- [41:05]
Christian Huff
They said this was the best mattress they've ever had.
- [41:08]
Sadie Robertson
And so we are big Helix fans and supporters. For a limited time, go to helixsleep.com Sadie for 27% off site wide and a free bedding bundle with a sheet set and mattress protector with any luxe or elite mattress order exclusive for our podcast listeners that will. That's good. That's helixsleep.com Sadie for 27 off site wide and a free bedding bundle with any luxe or elite mattress go order@helixsleep.com Sadie.
- [41:40]
Christian Huff
How do you recommend to people who are not in seminary, have never even been to church? Like, how do you recommend people starting to not just, like, read a passage, but understand the context? Are there certain commentaries you lead people to? Is it finding a mentor? Like, what does that look like?
- [41:56]
David Platt
Yeah, that's really good. I love that question. Because, yes, like, getting to that treasure. Like, there's a sense in which the beauty of the Bible is word, Holy Spirit, you. Like, this is. This is really all you need. At the same time, by God's grace, like, we're part of the body of Christ throughout history, and even today, they can help us understand what we're reading, which we need. Like, we need. All of us need pastors who teach the word to us to help us understand it. So people who are teaching the Bible to us. And then you have resources, which we have, and we talked about earlier in abundance. So I encourage people to get, like, a good study Bible. So, like, the one we encourage our church family to get is the ESV study Bible because we use the ESV translation, but just a good study Bible. Because what a study Bible has is it's got the word and then it's got just different notes along the way that'll help you cl. Help clue you into particular things in this passage, the context. And that's part of what I talk about in this book. Because you really need to, like, get in the shoes of the people who are hearing this at that time and. And the person who's writing this and how it all fits together so which you can't just get if you just kind of open, read and then close it. So to have some of that information. And then, I mean, something as simple as, like, all those little verses which are called cross references. As people open their Bibles and you see these little letters next to verses that point you to different places in Scripture. Like, just try sometimes when you read the Bible, when you read through a chapter, turn to some of those different places, and what you'll start to see is how all these different parts of the Bible do relate to each other. Like, yes, clearly, like these different, different prophecies. But then even just, oh, I'm studying right now, Ephesians 6, 10, 20, which is the armor of God. And it's so good. So verse 10, be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might. There's actually three words there. So this is going to nerd out a little bit because, like, there's three different words in The Greek that are there. And. But a good study Bible might. Might show you this. Those three words come together one other time in Ephesians, and it's back in Ephesians chapter one in the same verse, back in Ephesians chapter one, when it's talking about Jesus has risen from the dead and has all authority over all cosmic powers and has all authority in all the universe. And so the beauty is like, when we're fighting battles against temptation, doubt, discouragement, the one who has all authority over all powers, that's who is in us, and we're in him. That's what Paul is saying here. Be strong in the Lord. Who's the Lord. He's the one who has all authority in heaven and earth. And to make that connection with Ephesians chapter one is just like, oh, this is so good. But the beauty is when that happens, and it's not just in Ephesians, but it's like this. And yeah, what you said, how it ties back to Isaiah seven centuries before. Like, this book, the more you dive into it, the more you see, like, this is a supernatural book. It is unique, unlike any other book in the world. It's the word of God, one author over all this time, and we have it available to us. Like, there's nothing more valuable that we could pour into our minds than this for our good. So.
- [45:20]
Christian Huff
So great.
- [45:21]
David Platt
Yeah, you know, that's the. Yeah. I've been listening to a podcast lately, and it's. It's. It's. It's too. It's like, you know, reading the Bible from the. From the standpoint of. Of like an Eastern reader versus like a Western listener or Western reader, whatever. But even, like, you know, in Genesis, throughout the whole Bible, this idea of chiasms and how God uses literary tools to. To speak to people and even things like, you know, that idea that Jesus was a Jewish rabbi, and so many. Everything that Jesus pretty much did in the New Testament was calling back to something in the Old Testament. Like when he feeds the 5,000 and he sets people in groups of 50, like what Moses did, and then. And then two with the. With the two tablets and then five with the Torah and like all these things numerically that a. That an Eastern reader would pick up on to us, it's just like, oh, that he separate them to groups of 50. But no, it's like there's. Everything he did was schematically like he. He had a plan for everything he did. And there were so many callbacks to literally so many things he did in the Old Testament. And yeah, like if you just read it versus truly studying it and learning it and asking for wisdom, it's so cool. Yes. In my mind's just been blown lately of just trying to learn things that Jesus did that wasn't like, you know, like these things like, like my yoke is EAS and my burden is light. Like at the time every rabbi had something and that was, you know, like it wasn't like Jesus was the first rabbi to ever talk about a yoke, but the fact that his was actually, you know, truth and just all these different, you know, Eastern Jewish things that it's been blowing my mind lately of just learning just. Yeah. That Jesus had a true purpose in everything he did and just there's so many nuances to things he taught.
- [47:08]
So good.
- [47:14]
G
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- [48:26]
Sadie Robertson
I love stuff like that and they.
- [48:27]
G
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- [48:46]
Christian Huff
Wha.
- [48:47]
G
To 500 500.
- [48:51]
David Platt
You know, as you're talking, I'm thinking about my favorite quotes I heard a long time ago is God does not reveal the intimate things of his heart to those who casually come and go. And I just like, it takes time to like. Yeah. To study to get some of those things. But like we have, we have time. And I know we like think we're. And we are, we're busy people and we got a lot going on in life. But at the same time, like it's one of the things I talk about in the book. Like can I think a lot of people are like, I have not that much time to really read and study the Bible or meditate on the Bible like that. And it's like, well, yeah, I mean, I guess people think, I mean, I mean to wake up in the morning, look at something, spend time thinking about it all day long, non stop, all the way to go to bed. Like. Well actually that's what we do. Like with this device, we wake up, we look at it all day long, like hours, hours every day. And then we look at it, then we go to bed. Like, what if we just spent some of that time like feeding on, feeding ourselves with like that which truly brings life instead of so much drivel in this world. So it's before us, like God has given it to us. Let's experience. And not because we feel like we have to or like we're supposed to, but because we want life. Like Psalm 1. Happy. Like blessed is the one whose delight is in the law of the Lord. On his law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree planted by streams of water. Its leaf will not wither. And all that he does, he prospers. Like who is listening to this right now that doesn't want all that? Like we like true prosperity. Not even just worldly prosperity, like true eternal prosperity. Your leaf, not whether like fruitful life, life and happiness, like true happiness. Everybody wants that. So meditate on this word day tonight.
- [50:51]
Christian Huff
That's so good. Okay, I'm going to ask you a very new age question that maybe you've gotten before, maybe you haven't, maybe you've thought about, maybe you haven't. I'm just genuinely curious about this. What do you think about using Chat GPT to help study the Bible? Have you tapped into that or have you even been asked that?
- [51:11]
David Platt
I don't know if anybody's asked me that and I don't think I've done that. And there's a pos. I just think the Challenge would be there are so many. Yeah. I want to make sure both personally and that. I would encourage others to make sure that the sources you're going to that are helping you understand the God's word. Understand God's word are good sources. So yeah, I just think about walking through the airport yesterday and seeing these brochures about Jesus from people who are with a cult and I'm like, okay, like that. I just don't know at what level chat GPT is pulling from.
- [51:54]
Christian Huff
Yeah, be careful. Yeah.
- [51:55]
David Platt
Instead of. So I just would want to make sure that. But I would say to, I mean to like a larger point man, praise God for the accessibility we do have to a lot of good sources that just at our fingertips on our phone that we can use. And so let's just be wise in the way we go about using those.
- [52:16]
Christian Huff
I think that's good because I think so many people are obviously using chat right now and it is such a helpful tool. And one thing that I have found helpful and because I use it sometimes whenever I'm studying for a specific thing and like I was studying Judas. So I like ask, chat, tell me all the times in the book of John that Judas has mentioned. Well, that's really helpful because it's helping get me all that information. But I'm not going to be like, what's your commentary on this necessarily? Because that's not, I don't, I can't trust it. I don't know where it's pulling from, what its source is. But when it comes for like informational things where it's like how many pieces of silver was you sold for? Okay, then I can look that up and back that up and make sure I'm studying it with an open Bible. Bible studying it. Where are these passages found? So I can flip through. So I think it can be a helpful tool to assist you, assist you in Bible reading. But I don't think you should like get all of your information from there because it might not be a trusted source. Like there are so many commentaries that are enduring. Word is one that Christian and I love to read and point people to. It's been very helpful for us in understanding some context like the study Bible you said. And I just wonder how many people out there are wondering about chat when it comes to Bible reading. And that's something that I might myself have been like, okay, I, I don't use chat for things to replace.
- [53:40]
Sadie Robertson
I think it's an important conversation.
- [53:41]
David Platt
No, I just like, I just, I'm just laugh. I'm just laughing how you keep abbreviating chat GP to just calling it chat. Like, you know, well, hey, chat.
- [53:48]
Christian Huff
People talk about it casually.
- [53:50]
David Platt
Makes me laugh.
- [53:51]
Sadie Robertson
Like, I'm never gonna.
- [53:52]
Christian Huff
I would never use it to ever write a sermon for me. I would never use it to write a chapter. Like, that's wrong. But I'm gonna use it to assist me in learning or in writing to get as I study, you know. So I think the important thing when it comes to, like, something like chat GPT is that if the whole world is like, using it and we as believers are using it, then we do need to have conversations about, like, the wisdom and the way we use things like that and tap into things like that. And I do think there is a part of it that is helpful. And I do think there is a part of it that could get dangerous. For sure. Like most things when it comes to the Internet, a lot of good stuff, a lot of really bad stuff.
- [54:34]
Sadie Robertson
Okay, on a different note, I'll.
- [54:36]
Christian Huff
I'll get past my chat talk, but I do want to ask you this as we kind of begin to close. One of the main points in your book is that you. You have to share the Bible like you're sharing the words you're reading. And I think a lot of times people read for themselves. You know, they don't really think of that as being a part of it. So talk to me about the. The importance of what's coming in. Being something that's not just for you and your benefit, but for the blessing and proclaiming to other people.
- [55:07]
David Platt
Yeah, like, I mean, bottom line, this word is too good to keep to ourselves. Like, if, if it truly has supernatural power to bring happiness, blessing, prosperity, like fruit in people's lives, then we certainly, we cannot keep that to ourselves. And I just think about the conversation we've been having, like Psalm 112. I hope, I hope that's been encouraging to you guys with any fear or worry, anything you might have.
- [55:33]
Christian Huff
I needed that. Christian knows I needed that. He's trying not to help me. That was really good.
- [55:37]
David Platt
But that's. It's just like the simple overflow of like, my quiet time this morning and that. That can be for all of us. Like, God's not just, yes, praise God, he's speaking to us, but in ways that can lead to, and that's encouragement to others, other brothers and sisters in Christ. When you think about Deuteronomy 6 and it's talking about, talk about the Word when you walk on the road and when you lie down when you sit, when you rise. Well, how can you do that if you don't, like, haven't spent time, like, receiving the Word and then you're sharing it with others and then like with unbelievers. Not that you have to like, tell every. Everybody's not a follower of Jesus around you today. Like, what you learn in your quiet time, but at the same time, like, you're going to talk about, yeah, sports, politics, news, weather, whatever. Like, at some point fill that conversation with something that actually has power to bring people to life. And then the beauty is not just for others sake, what this does for your own heart. Because, I mean, as I'm talking about Psalm 112 with you guys, like, that's. It's just encouraging me in a fresh way, just reminding me it's. It helps me keep from just hearing that word from God in the morning and kind of moving on with the rest of my life today. Like, no, I want to encourage others with that. So to be intentional about sharing the Word, knowing it's the only way that others can have life as well. So don't just receive it, reproduce it.
- [57:05]
Christian Huff
It's so good, David. And you and I are an example right now of someone who did it this morning and someone who did not do it this morning. Because last night I also had a bad night and had a lot of nightmares, and it was not a good night, did not sleep good at all. And this morning I was like, I.
- [57:21]
Sadie Robertson
Know I need to get up.
- [57:22]
Christian Huff
I know I need to be in my word because I know I need like a fresh start. And I just didn't do it because I was so tired from the night that I just had. So I was like, I'm just gonna sleep. Then I wake up and my daughter woke up in our bed. And I was like, okay, maybe I'll just kind of of get on my phone and read some. And I turn to psalms and I'm like, trying to read. And she's like, why are you reading so slow? And she starts like scrolling my phone.
- [57:49]
Sadie Robertson
And I'm like, I'm trying to read.
- [57:50]
Christian Huff
The Bible, just let me just read this one thing. And she's like, mommy, you read so slow. And the whole time she just talked about how slow I read so that I'm not getting anything out of it. And then I'm like, okay, I'll go make your breakfast. Made her breakfast. Listened to a sermon on the way here, but it was like I didn't even have time to finish it. You know, I like, get here Go straight into my day. It's been so busy. Christian Larry calls me right before, he's like, how are you doing from last night? And I was like, honestly, I'm just really tired. I'm still just, like, struggling with it because, because I didn't, I didn't replace it with truth. And then this is just me being vulnerable. And then you come on and you're like, I had a bad night. I had nightmares. I woke up this morning. I read Psalms 12. It talks about, like, God not being afraid of the bad or not being afraid of the bad news, all stuff. And I'm like, wow, like, this is so encouraging to me because I, I, one, needed to hear that verse, but two, it's just a reminder of, like, really what it looks like to get in the Word and like, how it really does refresh your spirit, and it really does, like, it really is new mercies every day. And I can just tell the effect my dreams had on my day, not having the space to get, not that I didn't have it, that I didn't intentionally pursue it this morning, that could have changed the way that I, I pursued and went about the day. And so I feel like that just had to say that to help our listeners, even with, like, this is, this is the fruit of what we're talking about. Like, you're sitting here jumping for joy, hands in the air, like, rejoicing in the Lord after having a night of nightmares. And I am so encouraged by that and so inspired by that. And so this whole conversation, to Christian's point, you don't just say it, you don't just preach it, you live it, you practice it, you breathe it, you believe it with everything in you. And every time you're on this podcast or anytime Christian and I get to be around you, I personally am so challenged and so moved and want to go love God more. And I hope to be a person like that in my life. So thank you, David, for coming back on the podcast. Thank you for writing a book that's going to be so helpful to so many people. It's just greatly appreciated. So, so we, we adore you guys and are thankful.
- [60:09]
David Platt
We love you guys.
- [60:10]
Well, we love you guys, like, really, and I, I really appreciate you sharing that, Sadie. I, I, there's so much and that we could even dive into there, but I just want to, I, I love that all of us have days like that and, and that's why. Yeah, well, one, it's, I, I hope it's why seeing Bible reading, the context of love relationship with God is helpful because. Yeah. When that happens, like, praise God, we're still in love relationship with him. He's not, like, disappointed in us or he's just. He's. But that's where Christian community, like, being around brothers and sisters in Christ to pick us up on days like that. We all need that. So. Yeah. All that to say, I'm thankful for you two. And. Yeah. The encouragement God's used you two to be and mine and Heather's life and just the mutual edification that happens every time we're around you. So. Yeah. And praise God. All of it grounded in.
- [61:08]
Christian Huff
Amen. Amen. Well, we love you guys. Thank you so much.
- [61:12]
David Platt
This is great.