Is That You God? | Pastor Mike Frisch

Devotional

Day 1: The Shepherd’s Familiar Voice

Jesus stood among His disciples, calling Himself the Good Shepherd. He said, “I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” His voice wasn’t distant or confusing—it was as recognizable as a parent’s call to their child. He promised His followers could distinguish His guidance from all other noise, just as we recognize loved ones in a crowded room. [47:32]

Jesus used shepherd imagery because His listeners understood sheep respond only to their caretaker’s voice. He wasn’t demanding blind obedience but inviting trust in His steady, caring leadership. When He said, “My sheep listen to my voice,” He revealed God’s desire for closeness, not confusion.

Many of us strain to hear God amid life’s chaos. This week, pause when making decisions and ask: Does this choice align with the character of the Shepherd who laid down His life for me? What practical step can you take today to tune out distractions and listen for His familiar guidance?

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
(John 10:14-15, NIV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to help you recognize His voice as clearly as a child knows their parent’s call.
Challenge: Read John 10:1-18 today. Circle every time Jesus says “know” or “listen.”

Day 2: God-Breathed Words

Paul wrote to Timothy, “All Scripture is God-breathed.” These weren’t human ideas but divine truth preserved through generations. Early Christians meticulously verified each document, ensuring it matched Jesus’ teachings. The Bible became their compass—unchanging, reliable, and alive. [53:05]

Scripture remains God’s primary way of speaking because it reveals His consistent character. Unlike shifting opinions or emotional impulses, the Bible anchors us in timeless truth. When we read it regularly, we learn God’s “accent”—His mercy, justice, and relentless love.

You wouldn’t recognize a friend’s voice without spending time together. How much time did you spend yesterday hearing God through His Word? Open your Bible app or physical Bible right now—what’s one verse that stands out as a direct message to your current situation?

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
(2 Timothy 3:16-17, NIV)

Prayer: Thank God for preserving His Word. Confess one area where you’ve neglected Scripture.
Challenge: Set a 10-minute phone timer today to read Matthew 5:3-6 without distractions.

Day 3: Yoke of the Humble King

Jesus told the weary, “Take my yoke upon you.” In a world of harsh taskmasters, He offered partnership instead of pressure. A yoke joins two animals—Jesus promised to walk beside us, bearing life’s weight together. His voice always invites, never forces. [01:01:33]

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day burdened people with impossible rules. But Christ’s words brought rest, not guilt. When He said “learn from me,” He revealed God’s heart—gentle with our failures, patient with our growth.

What heavy “yoke” are you carrying—perfectionism, others’ expectations, shame? Write it down, then literally tear the paper as you pray: “Jesus, I exchange this for Your light burden.” How might your week change if you faced challenges leaning into His humility?

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
(Matthew 11:28-29, NIV)

Prayer: Tell Jesus one burden you’re releasing. Ask Him to replace it with His peace.
Challenge: Text a friend: “Jesus’ yoke is light. How can I pray for your burdens today?”

Day 4: Hidden in the Heart

The psalmist stored God’s Word internally, not just on scrolls. “I have hidden your word in my heart,” he wrote, creating a mental arsenal against temptation and despair. Memorization wasn’t about academic achievement but survival—truth readily available in crisis. [01:04:26]

We memorize passwords and song lyrics because they matter. Scripture matters more—it’s our lifeline when phones die or anxiety strikes. Like emergency rations, memorized verses nourish us in deserts of doubt or valleys of fear.

What’s the last Bible verse you memorized? Post Matthew 5:8 on your bathroom mirror: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Repeat it aloud while brushing your teeth. How might internalizing Jesus’ words reshape your reactions today?

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
(Psalm 119:11, NIV)

Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to bring one memorized verse to mind when you need it most.
Challenge: Write “Matthew 5:8” on your hand. Recite it every time you glance at it.

Day 5: Salt, Light, and Recognizable Love

Jesus told crowds, “You are salt… light.” Salt preserves and enhances; light exposes and guides. Both require contact—salt stays in the shaker uselessly, light hidden under bowls helps nobody. His words weren’t theoretical but a call to visible, tangible love. [01:14:34]

The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-16) paint a radical picture: blessed are the humble, the merciful, the peacemakers. These aren’t abstract ideals but practical ways to embody God’s voice. When we live this way, our lives become megaphones declaring His character.

Who in your life needs “salt”—presence that stops their decay? Where can you be “light”—exposing hope in someone’s darkness? Text them this verse: “Let your light shine before others” (Matthew 5:16). What good deed can you do today that points people to God?

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden… let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
(Matthew 5:14-16, NIV)

Prayer: Confess one way you’ve hidden your faith. Ask for courage to shine boldly.
Challenge: Buy a small salt shaker. Keep it in your pocket as a reminder to “season” conversations with grace.

Sermon Summary

The community gathers with a clear aim: to learn how to recognize the voice of God amid the many claims and noises of life. The text opens by naming the struggle—people long to hear God but fear being odd or misled—and then moves to the assurance that God speaks in ways that can be known. Using John 10, the image of the good shepherd establishes the standard: God’s voice is distinguishable because it is trustworthy, intimate, and consistent with God’s character. The scriptures, especially the words and life of Jesus, function as the primary filter to test any claimed word from God.

Three practical disciplines follow as means to sharpen spiritual hearing. First, regular reading of the Bible trains the ear because the Bible records God’s consistent story and promises; familiarity with that story exposes false or convenient interpretations. Second, prioritizing the actual words of Jesus anchors discernment—Jesus embodies and interprets God’s heart, so any voice that contradicts his humility, mercy, and invitation is suspect. Third, committing texts to memory places God’s truth immediately at hand for moments of temptation, anxiety, or confusion, helping the heart choose what honors God rather than impulse or pride. The sermon insists these practices are not elitist requirements but accessible habits for beginners and veterans alike.

To make these practices concrete, the community is given a manageable assignment: read, sit with, write about, and memorize Matthew 5:3–16 (the Beatitudes). A digital landing page will guide daily engagement, allow notes to be saved, and include a brief period of silence for listening. The goal is not mere information but formation—so that people can point out God’s voice in the cacophony of competing claims and be led by a shepherd whose yoke brings rest. The call closes with a reading of the Beatitudes as an example of the voice that shapes kingdom people: gentle, humble, merciful, and light-bearing.

Key Takeaways

1. Read Scripture to recognize God Regular, disciplined reading makes God’s voice familiar so that other voices lose persuasive power. The Bible records consistent revelation; knowing its story prevents cherry-picking verses to justify selfish aims. Practiced reading shapes judgment and forms a reliable moral imagination for daily choices. [52:43]
2. Jesus' words define God's heart The person and teaching of Jesus summarize who God is and how God behaves toward sinners and the suffering. Any claimed word that pulls people away from Christ-like humility, mercy, and welcome deserves skepticism. Looking to Jesus brings clarity when Old Testament passages feel opaque or harsh. [58:21]
3. Memorize Scripture for immediate guidance Hidden verses become quick spiritual reflexes when temptation, shame, or doubt arise. Memorized truth interrupts faulty impulses and reorients desire toward repentance, hope, and obedience. This practice keeps God’s promises ready in the moments that matter most. [64:26]
4. Test voices by shepherd criteria God’s voice will sound like a trustworthy shepherd—intimate, consistent, and life-giving—not coercive, self-exalting, or harmful. Discerning requires humility, patient comparison to Scripture, and refusal to let convenience define divine endorsement. The shepherd standard protects communities and cultivates faithful risk-taking. [47:32]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[35:48] - Opening Prayer
[36:35] - God Speaks in Many Ways
[37:33] - How to Know God’s Voice
[39:41] - Fear of Being Misled
[46:55] - Jesus the Good Shepherd
[52:43] - Practice 1: Read Scripture Regularly
[58:21] - Practice 2: Know Jesus' Words
[64:26] - Practice 3: Memorize Scripture
[70:28] - Homework: Matthew 5:3–16
[73:46] - Reading: The Beatitudes

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
John 10:14, 27 (ESV)
“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me… My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

Matthew 5:3–16 (ESV)
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven… Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Observation Questions

In John 10:14, Jesus calls himself the "good shepherd." What specific qualities of a shepherd does He highlight to describe His relationship with His followers?
According to the sermon, why is reading Scripture regularly critical for recognizing God’s voice? [52:43]
How does Jesus’ description of His “yoke” in Matthew 11:28–30 (referenced in the sermon) contrast with other voices we might hear in life? [01:01:33]
What practical assignment was given to help people engage with Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:3–16? [01:10:28]

Interpretation Questions

Why might Jesus use the metaphor of a shepherd and sheep to explain how His followers recognize His voice? How does this imagery address fears of being misled?
The sermon emphasizes that God’s voice aligns with Jesus’ humility and mercy. Why might voices that contradict these qualities be easier to dismiss when tested against Scripture? [58:21]
How does memorizing Scripture create “spiritual reflexes” in moments of temptation or confusion? What makes this different from simply reading the Bible occasionally? [01:04:26]
The Beatitudes describe traits like meekness, mercy, and peacemaking. How do these qualities reflect the “sound” of God’s voice compared to worldly values?

Application Questions

What distractions or “voices” (e.g., fear, pride, cultural trends) most often compete for your attention? How could regularly reading Scripture help you recognize God’s voice in those moments?
Think of a recent decision where you felt uncertain. How might testing it against Jesus’ teachings in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3–16) clarify whether it aligns with God’s heart?
The sermon suggests memorizing even one verse this week. Which verse from Matthew 5:3–16 resonates most with your current struggles, and how could you practice recalling it daily? [01:11:07]
When has a “God told me” claim (yours or someone else’s) conflicted with Jesus’ character? How can humility and Scripture help navigate such situations in the future? [39:19]
The homework includes three minutes of silence daily. What practical step could you take to create space for stillness this week, and what might you ask God to clarify during that time? [01:13:06]
How could prioritizing Jesus’ words in conflicts or decisions this week shift your responses toward gentleness, mercy, or peacemaking?

Sermon Clips

35s

#LiveLikeJesus

“Here's what you need to know, especially about the words of Jesus. Anything that pulls you towards the heart, humility, and lifestyle of Jesus is God's voice. Anything that draws you in, that helps you your heart to be more like the heart of God, that helps you to choose humility, that helps you to be more Christ like, that your lifestyle looks and sounds and feels like Jesus is the voice of God in your life.”

37s

#ScriptureShapesUs

“Meaning that if we wanna ascribe God's voice to something else, if that something else does not align itself with the story that God has already told, then it's not God's voice. And that's why it's so important for us to read the scriptures regularly. The more familiar you are with the scriptures, the more familiar you'll become with the voice of God. That's why we read the scriptures. That's why we spend time understanding the scriptures, and that's why we spend time prioritizing just a few moments to read these God breathed words.”

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Is That You God? | Pastor Mike Frisch | Active Church Yucaipa