Ian Pike, My Blogs
We know from the bible that David was a great king who achieved so much in his lifetime. I am encouraged by the humility of David, while I know it was God’s ability in my life there have been times when I thought that I was special. However, David was...
Being thankful to the Lord for who He is and how He has encouraged us by His presence is something that we must continually choose to do! I have found by experience that it is something that we have to keep reminding ourselves of because our human tends to fall...
In a world where there is so much bad news, it is so important that we keep refreshing ourselves with the truth of God’s word. It is so good to remember that God’s mercies are new every morning and that He is a faithful God. This is why we must...
The title of this Psalm of David is “Prayer and thanksgiving for the Lord’s Righteous Judgement”. In the world in which we live, we are exposed continually to bad news and the evil that is happening in countries all around the world. Because of this, we can forget two important...
As we come to the last part of this Psalm after declaring that God is a just Judge who saves the upright in heart David takes time to warn of the character of the wicked. Verse 14 says: “Behold, the wicked travails with iniquity (Wickedness), conceives trouble and brings forth...
We must never forget what a privilege we have to be able to continually see the goodness of God in our lives. This is what David is doing in this Psalm because he continually thanks the Lord and declares His greatness. Verse 9 says: “Oh, let the wickedness of the...
After David had gone through a thorough examination of his attitude to his God and the way that he lived, in that examination he made certain that his total focus was living a life where everything was pleasing to his God. He then turned to his God because he knew...
As we continue with this psalm we see the passion David has for his Lord. He not only declares his complete trust in his God but he also takes it further which could hold him back from a pure relationship with his God. This is something that we rarely consider,...
The title of this Psalm is “Prayer and Praise for deliverance from enemies”. This is an interesting statement that describes the best way to face problems, come to God with great confidence and thank Him even before the situation has changed. David did this in Verse 1 which says: “O...
As we come to the final part of this Psalm it has been so encouraging to see David declare his trust and confidence in his God. He relied upon his God to be shown the right way to live because he also knew that his God took no pleasure in...
It is good to keep reminding ourselves of the greatness of God in our lives. Because the world is getting darker all the time there is a danger that we can take our salvation for granted. When this happens we perform out of habit instead of enjoying the greatness of...
David continues to declare that the way of ungodly men has no place in the way that we live. We must be very clear that the standards of this world in which we live if we live by them then our relationship with the Lord suffers. I have noticed how...
It is so important that we are reminded regularly of the fact that the plans God had for our lives are the best we can experience. Sometimes we forget this and fall back into trying to please ourselves. This is exactly what Satan wants us to do because if we...
The title of this Psalm of David is “A prayer for guidance” Also, the commentaries say “It reflects how the righteous man prays for deliverance also from suffering, also to allow himself to serve God without distraction “. With this in mind, it will be so good to look at...
As we come to the final part of this Psalm I have been so encouraged by the clear way the Psalmist expresses his trust in his Lord. He consistently uses the phrases “ I Will”, “The Lord is” and “The Lord Shall” to declare God’s help to those who seek...
It is good to take the time to remember God is a helper to those who diligently seek Him. The danger we have and must continually guard against is not to be caught up with the pressures of everyday living. These pressures can come upon us without doing anything to...
I am encouraged by the attitude of the Psalmist who wrote this Psalm. Attitude is something that we do not speak about often enough, but it is something that determines how we see life. The Bible is very clear that we are motivated by what we see. A good attitude...
As we come to the last part of this Psalm the Psalmist continues to express how grateful he is to his God. This is an area of our life that we have to be careful about. When the struggles are over and life returns to normal there is a danger...
As we continue with the Psalmist’s decision to continually express his gratitude to his God, despite suffering the most difficult circumstances he did not stay there, he chose to bless the Lord. This a great challenge we face all the time, there is so much going on around us that...
Now we come to the third part of this Psalm where the psalmist expresses his gratitude to God and his vow to praise God forever. It is so important to remember that in this psalm the psalmist made it very clear that although he had experienced a very severe circumstance...
After the Psalmist recounts his distress and his cry to God for help, we come to the second part of this psalm where he describes how God delivered him from his distressful situation. This is a good lesson for us to learn, not to be ashamed to admit to God...
It is so encouraging to see the honesty of the Psalmist, he does not try to cover how he felt. But boldly comes to his God for help. As I have looked back over my life there have been times when I have tried to fix the situation by myself...
As we continue with the Psalmist’s distress and cry to God for help we read in Verse 3 “The pains of death encompass me, and the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow “. In Old Testament times Sheol was the abode of the dead,...
The title of this Psalm 116 is a “Song of thanksgiving for deliverance from death”. The writer of this Psalm is unknown but most commentators believe it was David who wrote this Psalm. If he did the bible does not record exactly an event that indicates a situation that was...
As we come to the final part of this Psalm we find something rarely mentioned in the Old Testament. Verse 10 talks about what David was expecting and then he prophesied about the coming Messiah (Jesus Christ the Lord). The verse says: “For you will not leave my soul in...
I am so encouraged by the inspiration of God’s word and this Psalm is no exception as the Title says “The hope of the faithful and the Messiah’s (Jesus) victory”. This Psalm certainly produces hope for those who trust in the Lord. Look at what Verse 8&9 says: “ I...
As we continue with this Psalm of David it is good to be reminded of the purpose of this Psalm. David wrote it for the express purpose of giving hope to the faithful. It is interesting that thousands of years later the faithful still need to be reminded of the...
This Psalm of David is so encouraging to me because as I reflect on what the Lord is doing it builds up my confidence in Him. Verse 5 says: “You, O Lord, are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; you maintain my lot”. NLT “Lord, you alone are...
The day of Pentecost is very important it is the day that the Church of Jesus commenced. We must be very clear that being filled with the Holy Spirit is not a church doctrine or emphasis but a command of Jesus to his disciples (Acts 1:5). Also we must be...
As we continue to declare with David “The hope of the faithful, and the Messiah’s victory”, this declaration dispels any threats of the enemy that we sometimes imagine. The Bible warns us in 1 Peter 5:8&9 “Be sober, be vigilant, because our adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring...
As we come to this Psalm I find the title of this Psalm of David very interesting, the title is “The hope of the faithful, and the Messiah’s victory”. Here David is declaring the victory of Jesus hundreds of years before He was born, with his prophetic eyes he was...
As we approach Pentecost Sunday we must consider the significance of the Holy Spirit being given to the Church. Being filled with the Holy Spirit was important to Jesus because we read that when He was baptised in the River Jordon the Holy Spirit remained upon Him (John 1:32). Then...
As we come to the final three verses of this Psalm of David in which we are encouraged to earnestly call to God in prayer with words that glorify Him. It has been so refreshing to be reminded of the greatness of God in our lives. As I commence my...
As we continue with this Psalm written by David with the express purpose of bringing glory to the Lord, as I reflect on this attitude I realise how the god of this world (Satan) tries to distract us by many things that seem important at the time but only take...
I am so encouraged and challenged by this Psalm (Song) of David, the title of it is “An invocation and doxology”. These are words that we rarely use today but their meaning are relevant and powerful in our walk with our Lord. The word ‘Invocation’ means ‘to call earnestly to...
As we approach Easter this weekend, it is so important for us to pause and reflect on how great our Salvation is to us. I am so glad that on Saturday night Australia Day Weekend 1954 That I chose to make Jesus Lord of my life and I have enjoyed...
As we come to the final part of this Psalm it is good to be reminded of David’s great love for his God as expressed in the title of this Psalm “Praise to God for His awesome works”. David has gone to great detail in expressing his devotion to his...
I am so encouraged by David’s confidence in his God, even when he went through a time of testing he knew that he would come out the other side a better person. Verse 12 says: “You have caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and...
The title of this Psalm is ’Praise God for His awesome works”, David continues to remind us in this Psalm of all the good things that God has done and we are also reminded to be thankful to the Lord for the blessings that we receive from Him. In Verses...
There is a danger that we can take for granted the goodness of God we experience every day. This Psalm through David reminds us the Lord does great and mighty things and should not forget them. The chorus of an old Hymn says: “Count your blessings name them one by...
The Psalmist David instructs us several times to pause and reflect on what he has written. When we read God’s word it is so easy at times not to pause and reflect on what God’s word is saying to us so it does not become part of how we live....
As we continue to be impacted by the Psalmist David expresses his confidence and complete trust in the Lord this Psalm is no different. The title of this Psalm is ‘Praise to God for His awesome works ’, David had learned a lesson which is something that we all should...
As we come to the final part of this psalm of David it is good to be reminded of the reason that he wrote this psalm. David was overwhelmed by his Lord’s salvation and the way his Lord provided for him. This is a lesson for us because at times...
As we continue with this psalm of David it is good to be reminded of the title of this Psalm “Praise to God for His salvation and prudence”. Providence is not a word that is used regularly, it means ‘The care of God for the future of man’. While we...
This psalm is unique in the fact that David uses this psalm to declare the greatness of God and His creation. Verse 6 says: “Who establishes the mountains by His strength, being clothed with power “. It is so easy to look at the magnificence and beauty of the...
As we continue with this Psalm it is good to be reminded of its title ‘Praise to God for His salvation and providence’. Remember that ‘Providence’ means ‘God’s care for us’. Verse 4 says: “Blessed is the man that You choose, and cause to approach you, that he may dwell...
The Psalmist continues to declare how God protects him. For he says in verse 2 “O You who hears prayer, to You all flesh will come”. David had a great understanding and confidence when he talked to his God, God heard what he said. This is something that changed in...
As we continue with ‘Psalms that have impacted my life ’ we come to Psalm 65, the title of this psalm of David is “Praise for God for His Salvation and providence”. The word providence means “The care of God for the future of man”. David in other Psalms has...
I am writing this blog in the first week of December 2022, yesterday Sunday 4/12 there was a mighty manifestation of the presence of the Lord. Today I am still impacted by it and as I consider this I am amazed at the greatness of our God and what He...
While it was so encouraging to start the year with the scripture Habakuk 1:5 which says: “Look, be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you “. Although I do not doubt the greatness of God, there...
While it is true that the day chosen to celebrate the birth of Jesus could not be the day He was born it is important that when we celebrate the birth of Jesus we do it following the truth of God’s word. The sad reality is that the celebration of...
As we come to the last part of this psalm, it is interesting that this is the only time we find David talking about his enemy. All the other verses were about his relationship with his Lord. This shows that his relationship with his Lord was his priority. This is...
As we continue with this psalm it is good to be reminded of its title ‘Joy in the fellowship of God ’. We live in a time when it takes great resolve to have fellowship with the Lord. At times when the pressures of life seem to be overwhelming and...
It is so good to be reminded that David wrote this psalm when he was under attack from King Saul who was trying to kill him. It is so easy to speak of the greatness of God when we are experiencing His blessing and we are enjoying life. However, it...
The title of this psalm of David is “Joy in the fellowship of God”, and it was written by him when he was hiding in the wilderness of Judah because he was being chased by King Saul. This is very interesting because it is easy to have confidence in the...
As we come to the final section of this Psalm it is good to remind ourselves of the reason David wrote it, the title of the psalm is “A calm resolve to wait for the Salvation of God”. This suggests that there will be times when God’s salvation is not...
It is so encouraging to look at David’s belief in his God. Because he said in Verse 6 “He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defence, I shall not be moved”. The truth of this verse is paramount to the way that we live our Christian...
As we continue with this psalm it is interesting to remember that David commences with his total trust in the greatness of his God. Then he highlights that he is being attacked but these attacks cannot succeed because he trusted in the Lord. Verse 3&4 says: “How long will you...
As we come to this new Psalm I am impressed by the title of this Psalm of David, “A calm resolve to wait for the salvation of the Lord”. We live in a world where the pace of life seems to be getting faster and faster. We have so many...
As we come to the last section of this Psalm the Sons of Korah express the challenge we face as we follow the Lord. While they were serving in the temple regularly it did not stop the battle of the mind. The Psalmist is very clear that he brings his...
I am encouraged by the psalmist that although he was feeling the pressures of life he turned his focus on the source of his answer – his God. There is a danger when we are experiencing these pressures that we can feel that we are a victim, not an overcomer....
There have been times in my life when I have been tempted to believe that if my circumstances were different then I would feel better and enjoy a better life. I have learned over my life despite the circumstances of life there have been seasons of good times and seasons...
This Psalm has such special significance because it is written by the Sons of Korah who spent their life serving in the Temple. The title of the Psalm is “Yearning for God in the midst of distresses” which encourages me because it shows in life whatever you are doing you...
As we come to the last part of this Psalm, I have been challenged/ impacted by the attitude of David. He wrote this psalm when something unique had taken place, the Ark of God was in Jerusalem for the first time in the history of the Children of Israel. While...
This psalm continues to describe the faithfulness of God, in this blog we will look at Verses 13-35. It is so important to have an unshakeable trust in the goodness of God and to remember that He has given us the Old Testament to demonstrate how He protects His people....
The title of this Psalm is “The eternal faithfulness of God” and as we look at the rest of the psalm the psalmist goes into great detail about the faithfulness of God to Israel. As I reflect on this it becomes quite apparent to me that at times I do...
One of the weaknesses of our human nature is it is so easy to take for granted the good life that we live and if we are not careful we can just coast along and not acknowledge the goodness of God in our life. Psalm 105 is so precious in...
This psalm reminds us of the greatness of our God and instructs us in the ways of expressing His goodness. Verse 2 says: “Sing to Him, sing Psalms to Him; talk of all His wondrous works “. We are told to sing to the Lord, it is to sing songs...
Psalm 105 is unique because it is based on a Psalm written by David after the Ark of God was transported to Jerusalem for the first time. This is also recorded in 1 Chronicles 16 and is called “David’s song of thanksgiving”. Before we look at the Psalm it would...
Psalm 71 Part 7 I have been encouraged as I have read and allowed the truths of this Psalm to impact my life. It is so good to remind ourselves by reading God’s Word, it is not like reading a storybook, because God’s Word brings life to us when it...
Psalm 71 Part 6 As we continue with this psalm I am reminded of the battle that we have – will I be controlled by what our spirit sees or will I be controlled by what our natural eyes see? The Bible reminds us that although we live in the...
Psalm 71 Part 5 As we are continually inspired by this psalm I am encouraged by the way David uses past experiences to encourage himself in the pressure he felt as King of Israel. Verse 17 says: “O God, you have taught me from my youth; and to this day...
Psalm 71 Part 4 It is interesting to acknowledge that what we feel at times does not change the nature of God. But having said that as I consider my lifetime there have been times when I have felt that God was a long way from me and was not...
Psalm 71 Part 3 Most bible commentators suggest that David wrote this psalm when he was being pursued by Absolom. This psalm exposes the dialogue that the psalmist has with his God, this highlights the essential aspects of talking to God at all times. This is something that most people need...
Psalm 71 Part 2 The way that this psalm is written suggests that the psalmist was under attack, he was not experiencing life without major problems. Something that I have learned over my lifetime is that you do not how great your trust in the Lord is until you experience...
Psalm 71 While most commentaries suggest that this psalm was written by David the fact is we do not know, however, because the first two verses are identical to Psalm 31 which was written by David suggests that David wrote this psalm. The title of this Psalm is “God the...
Psalm 3 Part 2 In these troubled times, it is good to be reminded that we are not alone and have to fight our battles alone. I am reminded of one of the last words that Jesus said to His disciples “All authority has been given to me in heaven...
Psalm 3 The title of this Psalm is “The Lord helps His troubled people”, we live in a very troubled world, there is so much ungodliness reported worldwide, so it is good to look to God’s word for encouragement. In this psalm, David was facing one of his greatest challengers,...
Psalm 84 Part 6 I have been so blessed as I have considered the message of this Psalm, how great it is being in the house of the Lord! In recent times there has been a major attack on the church by the god of this world. We have experienced...
Psalm 84 Part 5 It is good to be reminded that “ The entrance of Your words gives light” (Psalm 119: 130), Reading God’s word can have such a powerful impact on our lives if we allow God’s inspiration to change us. Psalm 84 is no exception, the words of...
Psalm 84 Part 4 As we continue with this Psalm I am in awe of the Sons of Korah and how they express their experience of living in the Lord’s presence. In Verse 7 the result of being in His presence is reinforced for it says “They go from strength...
Psalm 84 Part 3 The message of this psalm is such encouragement from the Lord and it challenges us to reassess our focus on Godly living. So that we can experience what God desires for us all the time. I realise how easy it is for us to be side-tracked...
Psalm 84 Part 2 As we continue with this psalm I am enthralled and inspired by the psalmist for his passion for the House of the Lord. I am challenged by his desire to experience the presence of the Lord, I believe it is a timely reminder not to allow...
Psalm 84 This Psalm is unique in the fact that it was written by the sons of Korah, the sons of Korah were part of the tribe of Levi who was set apart to be priests and ministers in the Tabernacle. If you were born into the tribe of Levi...
Psalm 91 Part 4 As we come to the final section of this Psalm it talks about the reward that comes to the person who ‘Dwells in the secret place of the Most High ’. It is good to remember that God is a good God and if He looks...
Psalm 91 Part 3 This next section of the Psalm gives the detail of the protection of the Lord to all who have chosen to live close to Him. Verse 9 says “Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your habitation!” This verse...
Psalm 91 Part 2 As we continue with this psalm we see the continuing benefit of abiding in the presence of the Lord. Verse 3 says: “Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and the perilous pestilence! This is a definite statement, not a suggestion –...
Psalm 91 I am encouraged by the title of this psalm “Safety in abiding in the presence of God”. This is such a profound truth that unfortunately many people never understand and because of this never make the effort to live in God’s presence. Verse 1 says: “He who dwells...
For as long as I can remember church people have been told to read God’s Word (The Bible) but I cannot remember anyone completely explaining what that means or how to read it. From a schoolboy onwards I have been an avid reader, I must have read 1000”s of books...
Psalm 19 Part 5 This psalm has been so inspiring and also challenging as we have considered the revelation of the Lord through His creation and His word. Verse 11 says: “Moreover by them, your servant is warned, and in keeping them is great reward”. Sometimes we forget how by...
Psalm 19 Part 4 As we continue with this psalm it is good to be reminded of the purpose for this psalm, David wrote it with the express purpose of revealing the true nature of the Lord. This is something that we need to do regularly because at times we...
Psalm 19 Part 3 It has been so encouraging to be reminded of the greatness of our God through His creation, now we come to another aspect of that greatness. Verse 7 says: “The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure...
Psalm 19 Part 2 I am so encouraged by the reason for this psalm – to reveal the Lord! As I have reflected on this I realise that there were times when I desired something spectacular to happen in the church to make the church attractive to the world. This...
Psalm 19 While there are many reasons why the many Psalmists wrote their various psalms, Psalm 19 is very unique. The title of this psalm is “The Perfect Revelation of the Lord”, so it will be with great interest to see how David achieves this in this psalm. David does...
Psalm 46 Part 5 Now we come to the final two verses of this great Psalm and they say: “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth; the Lord of Hosts is with us; the God...
Psalm 46 Part 4 Now we come to this section of Psalm 46, verses 8 -9 which have a powerful message and flow with the ongoing truth of the Psalm. Psalm 46 has so much truth to reflect on and I am reminded how easy it is to read God’s...
Psalm 46 Part3 The next section of Psalm 46 consists of 4 verses and these verses are verse 4 through to verse 7 which have a theme of “God is in the midst of His people”. It continues with the truth that God is always present in us, despite what...
Psalm 46 Part 2 As we continue with this truth “God Is” I have realised while we can know a lot about God – in fact, it is so easy to quote scriptures but deep down we do not expect God to work miraculously. We have become very comfortable in...
Psalm 46 Two days ago I celebrated 8 years ago the love of my life went to heaven, while am so glad for her enjoying the presence of her Lord, there have been times when I have missed her so much. There is a song by Bethel Music that has...
Psalm 1 Part 3 As we come to the third week of the new year I want to complete Psalm 1 which I commenced at the end of last year. This psalm is so relevant to the world in which we live because it declares that while God desires to...