Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they
​trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. Mat 7:6

In this devotion the subject of preaching and teaching the bible, and giving the gospel in public places, and knowing where the boundaries should be, when we face opposition, and rejection.

I've been in several types of ministry for many years, over 40, and I have seen a great change of atmosphere when in public places. When people gather for public meetings, quite often it becomes violent, and unruly. You cannot predict or be confident any longer, in what people are going to do. We've seen a significant rise in chaos, lawlessness, and violent acts, resulting in assassination attempts, and murders. I really wonder how people can feel it's a good idea to take their kids to these places, knowing the dangers that they may face.

I listened this morning to a teaching from Derek Prince, who was ministering throughout the 20th century from the forties through the early 2000's, he is an excellent teacher on several subjects-deliverance, end time prophetic events, and is sound in his doctrine on numerous subjects. 

I've left the link to this teaching below, to add to this devotion. In this teaching he said two things that I especially needed to hear. 1. He said- "When you see someone has heard the gospel, and rejected it, and doesn't want to change, don't waste anymore time on them. Leave them alone, and don't bother trying to preach to them anymore." 2. Later in the teaching he described the different functions and terms in the bible for a preacher/teacher of the gospel, he described what scripture terms as a minister, and that it means a servant, which is the term Jesus used very often. He also said he was asked if he believed women should be in ministry and preach the gospel and he said "I certainly do, and have no problem with it". These two remarks were both what I've been praying about for several days, because when you are a woman in ministry-you will get this attack often, and you'll hear it throughout your ministry, that the bible says a woman is to be silent-without researching deeper into what Paul really meant, when he said it. Derek Princes history, and sound ministry throughout his life, speaks for itself.

When describing what it will be like in the end of days, he uses the verses in 2Tim. that describes them well, and breaks them down. When you look around today, and watch the news of the riots and lawlessness in government and the cities, the verses describes our world today. People want their pleasures, lovers of money, and excess in every area of life, many are rude and unruly, feel entitled to invade your life, and are bullies.

2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 
2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 
2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 
2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 
2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 

When in a public place, a street preacher can expect every kind of behavior, and it can become violent. When your in a public place trying to do business, there's times people will intentionally bait you, or track you, and what their intentions are, cannot be trusted. This is true in shopping malls, and parking lots of grocery, and department stores. I've had several dangerous encounters of people intentionally trying to hit me with their cars, and incidents of groups of people coming at me and surrounding me-and being alone, I had to think fast of what to do, to not let them get close enough to me, to force me into their vehicles. I've learned to make changes on when I go to any public place to try to shop, or do business-and I know I am not alone by any means. I've spoken to other's who've had the same experiences in recent years, and have learned to make the same precautions.

For those who may feel my statements are too extreme, and I'm being overly concerned, I'll remind you of several murders of women in the last 15 years, here in my area, and how they were killed. They were taken violently, and brutally murdered. I'll let you do the research. One was stabbed to death right next to a department store, in St. Johnsbury, another kidnapped out of her car in the middle of the road with her small child in the back seat-taken to a boat launch on the Connecticut River, and tied to a block, and drowned, after being sexually assaulted, by a local man "just wanting to get a girl". There were several other's as well, and seniors among them. I do not trust anyone, and take nothing for granted.

The verse above that Jesus spoke is a clear warning, and direction for us when we've giving a gospel message to someone, and have been scorned, and rejected. Don't waste your time, energy, or your safety trying to say any more to them. Do what Jesus and his disciples did-go on to someone else, or focus on your ministry in the capacity your serving in, and leave them alone. Once you've spoken to them once, your responsibility is done. By trying to force the message, you can put yourself in needless danger. Jesus went into hiding and left crowds that tried to kill him, numerous times. It's important to use discernment on when and how to speak.

In maintaining these websites, the devotions put in them are an important part of this ministry. There's many devotions over many years in them and anyone could take their bible, and sit down and use them to study, and they contain many commentaries from serious bible scholars, bible teachers, and preachers, that they could gain much insight, and God would reveal more of Himself to them, if they took the time to do this. These websites can be seen by anyone from any part of the world-and I've been told by the Lord, that one day, He will show me those from far away places, that have come to them and use these devotions, so I know this work is not in vain. The pearls being cast here-is falling on good ground, in places around the world.

But, today it's important to use wisdom in when and how to minister. Jesus wants us to be bold, and courageous, but not foolish. God has many ways, and uses every means to get His word out there, and He can use us where we are, and in the capacity we are able to serve Him. 

Below are some commentaries, to add to this subject. May God use this to help anyone today, who is facing adversity, and opposition-Jesus will guide us, if we use His word, and apply it.
Lorna Couillard

Glimpses of the End | Derek Prince
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmO2bLLdROU

​Give not that which is holy ... - By some the word “holy” has been supposed to mean “flesh offered in sacrifice,” made holy, or separated to a sacred use; but it probably means here “anything connected with religion” - admonition, precept, or doctrine. Pearls are precious stones found in shell-fish, chiefly in India, in the waters that surround Ceylon. They are used to denote anything especially precious, Rev_17:4; Rev_18:12-16; Mat_13:45. In this place they are used to denote the doctrines of the gospel. “Dogs” signify people who spurn, oppose, and abuse that doctrine; people of special sourness and malignity of temper, who meet it like growling and quarrelsome curs, Php_3:2; 2Pe_2:22; Rev_22:15. “Swine” denote those who would trample the precepts underfoot; people of impurity of life; those who are corrupt, polluted, profane, obscene, and sensual; those who would not know the value of the gospel, and who would tread it down as swine would pearls, 2Pe_2:22; Pro_11:22. The meaning of this proverb, then, is, do not offer your doctrine to those violent and abusive people who would growl and curse you; nor to those especially debased and profligate who would not perceive its value, would trample it down, and would abuse you. This verse furnishes a beautiful instance of what has been called the “introverted parallelism.” The usual mode of poetry among the Hebrews, and a common mode of expression in proverbs and apothegms, was by the parallelism, where one member of a sentence answered to another, or expressed substantially the same sense with some addition or modification. See the Introduction to the Book of Job. Sometimes this was alternate, and sometimes it was introverted - where the first and fourth lines would correspond, and the second and third. This is the case here. The dogs would tear, and not the swine; the swine would trample the pearls under their feet, and not the dogs. It may be thus expressed:
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs,
Neither cast ye your pearls before swine,
Lest they (that is, the swine) trample them under their feet,
And turn again (that is, the dogs) and rend you.
​(Albert Barnes)

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that
house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. 
Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha
​in the day of judgment, than for that city.  Mat 10:14-15

Give not that which is holy to the dogs,.... Dogs were unclean creatures by the law; the price of one might not be brought into the house of the Lord, for a vow, Deu_23:18 yea, these creatures were not admitted into several temples of the Heathens (h). Things profane and unclean, as flesh torn by beasts, were ordered to be given to them, Exo_22:31 but nothing that was holy was to be given them, as holy flesh, or the holy oblations, or anything that was consecrated to holy uses; to which is the allusion here. It is a common maxim (i) with the Jews, "that they do not redeem holy things, to give to the dogs to eat".''
Here the phrase is used in a metaphorical sense; and is generally understood of not delivering or communicating the holy word of God, and the truths of the Gospel, comparable to pearls, or the ordinances of it, to persons notoriously vile and sinful: to men, who being violent and furious persecutors, and impudent blasphemers, are compared to "dogs"; or to such, who are scandalously vile, impure in their lives and conversations, and are therefore compared to swine; neither cast ye your pearls before swine. But since the subject Christ is upon is reproof, it seems rather to be the design of these expressions, that men should be cautious, and prudent, in rebuking and admonishing such persons for their sins, in whom there is no appearance or hope of success; yea, where there is danger of sustaining loss; lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you: that is, despise the admonitions and reproofs given, and hurt the persons who give them, either by words or deeds; see Pro_9:7. The Jews have some sayings much like these, and will serve to illustrate them; "do not cast pearls before swine", nor deliver wisdom to him, who knows not the excellency of it; for wisdom is better than pearls, and he that does not seek after it, is worse than a swine.''   (John Gill)

When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do
​after the abominations of those nations. 
There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 
Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 
For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations
the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners:
but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do. (Deu 18:9-14)
+++++++
 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life,
and that they might have it more abundantly. 
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (Joh 10:9-11)

​​Abominable Practices

In this devotion I'm going to speak from my own life experiences, and my heart, on the subject of demonic, satanic activities that have saturated this country, and every aspect of life, and the consequences of it. When you go to any public place the devils works are sold, promoted, and celebrated everywhere-and the results speak for themselves. The darkness, evil practices, deceptions, people's character-which today is defined clearly in scripture, is so entrenched in evil-the people are engulfed in never-ending behavior steeped in trickery, manipulation, scheming and aimed mainly for self gratification and what can be gained for their own profit. Even the good that is done, is rooted in deception and double motives. 

Jeremiah's day was the same as where the world is now, and he describes it well:
Jer 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 
Jer 17:10  I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. 

Going on from this, I'll give a short overview of my childhood, because it will add to this in a personal way. As a middle kid of six other siblings, I grew up in a large family. My father and mother were not rich, but, my father had a good paying job at General Electric, and we owned our home, we were much better off than many, and considered ourselves fortunate. My parents and grandparents had lived through the Great Depression, and knew what it was like to suffer losses, and not waste anything or take anything for granted. My mother had her hands full taking care of seven kids, but she was very inventive, and there was a strong family bond between us. She believed in the Lord, but my father didn't. Her life with him was a struggle, because of drinking and he was not easy to live with. Even though she believed in the Lord, going to church a few times, the gossip and backstabbing she encountered, caused her to not stay in them. She would read her bible, and play gospel songs for hours, and kept her faith and it helped her stay in a very difficult marriage, and keep going raising us the best she could. But, she didn't understand the importance of God's warnings of staying away from pagan practices, and celebrating holidays that brought pagan practices in the home. She would let us dress up for Halloween, and take us to the local villages and towns to go door to door trick or treating, filling our bags with candy by the end of the night. But, I remember mother going through each of our bags when we got home, and taking a lot of it out, and we were left with only a portion, we learned this was for "our own good". Through the growing up years in this situation, she also allowed someone to bring in a Ouija board, and those of us who used it saw with our own eyes the Satanic power that it holds, as it moved across the board on it's own, and spelled out warnings and curses at us. My mother came to see the evil of it, and had it thrown out-but, the damage had been done, we had brought down curses on ourselves, and the house we lived in, by bringing it in, and using it. We were responsible for the damage it had done, but didn't understand that if we had gone to Jesus, and repented of our wrongdoing, and denounced it, and prayed over our house and asked the Lord to cleanse it of evil spirits, we would have once again, been under His care, and protection. When you don't study God's word, and learn the ways of God, Satan uses your own ignorance against you, and draws you into demonic practices, that brings curses and darkness into your life. Being involved with the wrong people who practice these things is a snare, and Jesus tells us to know people by their fruit. 

By the time I was 15, I was in complete rebellion, and held no boundaries in my life. The problems, and troubles that came my way, were of my own doing, but, no one could have convinced me of this during those years. In my darkness, I allowed evil people to influence me to do things that now I look back and can see clearly-had brought me to almost death. Only the mercy and love of Christ, held me and protected me, in spite of myself. I know what it's like to wake up from a hangover and find myself in a place I've never been before, and not know how I got there.  My best friends mother was a witch, and through her I learned the art of witchcraft and sorcery, and have had enough experiences to know how real Satanic powers are. However, now, years later, I know the greater power of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the covering power of His cleansing Blood. 

As a Christian for almost 50 years, when I look back on that now, I thank the Lord every day, for His forgiveness, and mercy to me. When I turned to Jesus, and asked for His forgiveness, and for Him to come into my life, that Lorna-full of sin and darkness died, and Christ came into my life, and began the work of restoration, of all the devil tried to destroy in me. But along with this, He taught me in His word, the tools Satan uses to drag people to hell, and uses pagan practices to do it. Look around at the decorated houses, with every kind of demonic character in their yards, and windows-huge witches, skeletons, ghouls, ghosts, demons, sorcerers. People celebrate the devils holidays-laughing and mocking the God who created them, and then wonder why their lives fall apart. The wages of sin is death, and the majority of people today, are choosing death. They are bringing curses and death down on themselves, every time they celebrate these demonic events, and put demonic objects in their homes. The nation allows after school Satan in schools in the country, but, the bible is banned in many. Christians are mocked, ridiculed and intimidated-but this just reveals the power of darkness that rules in these people.

​1Sa 15:23  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. 

​Isa 5:20  Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 
​
Society, and most people see this picture above as harmless and humorous fun. That's just what Satan wants you to believe. But, the influence of it is teaching everything that's wrong, and wicked. We are accountable for what we choose.

Parents will be held accountable, when they stand before God, and answer for the influence they have been, and what they've allowed their children to do, and participate in, while they were bringing them up. If you don't believe this, it doesn't matter, one day, you will know you've been told the truth.
​
In saying this, I learned the truth of how difficult it is in this world, when I was raising my daughter. The influences of the culture, and people your kids interact with, is a constant source of conflict when your trying to bring them up right. When they become teenagers, and want to engage with other's, you become an enemy, when you say no to them, regarding things they want to do, that you know are going to get them into trouble, and is leading them astray. I'm very aware of the struggle both in and out of society, and even churches, that will teach your kids it's ok to do something, when the scriptures tell you clearly not to do it. The world is in the state it's in, because of rebellion, and stubbornness. No one wants to hear this, but, the evidence in right here, and we see it everywhere we go.

The bible has many scriptures that speak of the responsibility of the parents to bring up their children to know God, and bring them up according to the scriptures:
Pro 22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. 
​
​2Ti 3:15  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 
2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 
2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 
See also: Gen_18:19; Deu_4:9, Deu_6:7; Psa_78:3-6; Eph_6:4; 2Ti_3:15

If your a believer in Christ, and have been saved out of great sin and darkness, you realize the power of influence, that brought you to almost total ruin, and how great the power of God was, in setting you free, saving your soul, and bringing you out of darkness. Words really don't do it justice-but, your changed life, is a constant billboard sign to the world, and the devil, of what God has done for you, and the transformation of your life and spirit, as you continue to walk out your faith in Christ before a godless world. If you have children, you know the dangers, and temptations that are put in front of your children from every direction, including in schools, and public events. 
The parents responsibility to bring their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, is as a whole rejected in society today-and the evidence of that is everywhere. A Christian child today is a target for much persecution no matter where they live in this world. Jesus makes it clear, there is no way your going to fit into this society, and remain steadfast in your faith, and follow the bible. You will be at odds with the world's system, all of your life. I've left the world, and am glad of it.
People want their entertainments, the bars and taverns are always full-no matter what day of the week.
People who desire a life of study, holiness, quietness and purpose are seen as out of touch with reality, misfits, anti-social. The truth of the matter is, the strongest, and most stable people are those who hold to moral values, are reliable and responsible in their conduct, and prefer to mind their own business. Social media and devices that allow people to track your personal life, whether you want them to or not, have created a society today, that I believe is perverted, and spoiled. People don't know what right or wrong is anymore, they feel they are entitled to pry into another persons personal life without permission, and this leads to a society of people full of mischief, and troublemaking. Look around, isn't this the condition of the world now?

When people live in darkness, they attempt to live good, upstanding lives, and integrate their pagan practices in their holidays and festivals, thinking that God is far up in heaven, and won't care, and isn't paying any attention to what we are doing-it's all in fun. But, when I became a Christian, and the Spirit of God came into me, my eyes were opened, and I began to see these practices as He saw them, and came to feel His sadness, grief, and yes-wrath for those who will not turn from their wicked ways, and put away these practices. God exists, whether you believe it or not, life and death is in His hands, and once you die-there is no coming back to try again. It's appointed to man once to die-then the Judgment. The sad truth is, the vast majority don't believe they will ever die. When your young, and in good health, death seems like something far off in the distance-let's live and have a good time. But the party spirit doesn't last forever, death does come, and when it does-you are either ready to meet your God, or your not. 

Below are some graphics and photos that speak of what Halloween offers- everything that stands for evil, darkness, and death. The questions I'd have to you are:

1. Why does wickedness and evil attract you so much-what is the source of this attraction?
2. Do you not understand that the humor and satire of these evil practices, that you think is harmless fun-is a trap to bring you to eventual destruction? 
3. Do you not realize that every time you open the door to the demonic realm, you are perverting and destroying the personality that God put into you, and that Satan hates you so much-his own goal is to drag you to hell with him?

Again, Jeremiah describes people who fit today's society:
​​Jer 4:22  For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

Within these three verses, a person could gain a world of inspiration, direction and guidance for their life. It could take an untold amount of time to gain all that Jesus means, and we could flourish on these throughout our lives. A couple of devotions below, will give some food for our souls, and strength for our spirits, to use to deal with the motives and agenda's of Satan, and how Jesus wins the victory for us, if we will just choose Him, and shut the door to the devil in our lives.

Assuming inequalities of power to reign through every department of life, from the lowest to the highest, what I gather from Jesus’ words is this, that God is not satisfied with any lower form of vitality where a higher can be attained, and that it has been one design of the Gospel to intensify human life, if I may so say, through every region of it; not to damp, impair or enfeeble a man’s life-powers at all, but on every side to exalt them. The Son of God visited us in our far-off and, spiritually speaking, half-dead world, to make ours a more abundant life, as though He had come to bring a spiritual sunshine with Him, or had swept us with Himself into the regions of eternal day.

First of all, I think this has come true even in the ordinary and natural experiences of men. The effect of Christianity has not been to deaden men to the interests of this life, with its common joys and sorrows, but, on the contrary, to render our earthly life larger and more intense. The world itself is surely a graver, vaster thing since Jesus Christ died upon it. Common business rises in importance when by it you have the task set you to glorify your Savior and serve your brother men. Our little life, obscure or petty as it may be, is no longer as a landlocked lake, set by itself apart; but, lo! it is an inlet, with open channel uniting it to the awful ocean beyond, and into it also there pour day after day those mysterious tides of life and passion which come from the infinite heart of the most high and loving One.

In the second place, Jesus Christ makes life to His disciples a more abundant thing by conferring upon us a new sort of life, and one which has fuller pulses and a deeper and stronger vitality about it than merely natural or unregenerate men can possess. The experiences of Christian—that is, spiritual life—are more intense than those of nature, because they are awakened in the new-born soul by a far grander and more mighty class of of facts and relationships; eternity is vaster than time, God mightier than the world. Unregenerate men touch time and the world; we, if we are Christ’s, touch God and eternity. A man’s conversion to God adds a fresh region, a new department, to his being; it gives him new thoughts, it quickens in him new emotions, it begets new motives, it sets before him new ambitions. The new life must be a fuller one, a deeper one, than the old, giving birth to thoughts more grave, feelings more deep,—in a word, "life more abundant."
(J. Oswald Dykes, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxiv., p. 177)

"He who came in by the door which John the Baptist opened has become the door. It stands open to all comers-if any man. The salvation here mentioned refers to the entire process of soul-health: go in for fellowship; go out for service.
Wherever destruction is uppermost in speech or act, you may detect the presence of the great enemy of souls. Christ is ever constructive, saving, life-giving. Let us not be content until our life has become abundant life. Our life cost the Shepherd’s life. He did not hesitate to interpose Himself between the sheep and the wolf of hell. There is possible between our Lord and ourselves an intimacy of knowledge which can be compared to nothing less than that which subsists between the Father and Himself."
​(F.B. Meyer)

The gift of the Spirit of life dwells in those who are united to Christ in a fulness more abundant than was ever revealed before. And the gift of life is not a power, a principle, but a very true Person dwelling in us. This is the regeneration for which all ages waited till the Word was made flesh—the new birth of water and of the Spirit, of which the baptism of Christ is the ordained sacrament. Here, then, we see a part of this great promise. In one word, it is the fulness of life given to us by the personal indwelling of the Holy Ghost, which Christ by His indwelling has bestowed upon us.

And besides this, the gift of life is abundant, not only in its fulness, but in its continuance. We cannot die in our Head, because He is life eternal; nor can we die in ourselves, except we cast out the Giver of life who is in us. Our first head fell, and drew us with him into the grave; our second Head is in heaven, and "our life is hid with Him in God." We can die no more by any federal death, but only by our own several and personal death. If sinners die eternally, they die one by one, of their own free choice, even as Adam. And we die now no more by single acts of disobedience, but only by a resolved and deliberate course of sinning. This reveals to us the wonderful love and miraculous longsuffering of Christ, and of the Spirit who dwells in us. Where once He enters, there He abides with divine endurance.

Let us draw from what has been said one or two practical truths of great importance in our daily life.
(1) And, first, we hereby know that in all our acts there is a Presence higher than our own natural and moral powers. We were united to Christ by the presence of the Holy Spirit from our baptism. There has never been a moment, from the first dawn of consciousness, from the first twilight of reason and the first motions of the will, when the Spirit of life has not been present with us. The working of the Spirit is, so to speak, co-extensive with our whole moral being. He presides over all the springs of thought, word and deed, by His gracious presence endowing us with power and will to mortify sin and to live in holiness. What, then, is our life but the presence of the Spirit dwelling in us?
(2) Another plain and practical truth is, that this Presence works in us according to the revealed and fixed laws of our probation.
(3) Lastly, we may learn that the union of this Divine Presence with us in our probation issues in the last and crowning gift of this life—the gift of perseverance. "Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it."    (H. E. Manning, Sermons, vol. iii., p. 159)

​Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 

Because He owns the sheep. He is the proprietor of the flock. It follows naturally, that He would exercise greater vigilance, and risk greater danger, on their behalf.
(1) They are His by the gift of the Father. Over and over again in the course of the Gospels, He gives utterance to this truth: "Thine they were, and Thou gavest them Me."
(2) They are His by creative ties. This probably is the deep meaning of the phrase, "His own sheep"—sheep which are His, even before they are called. The anthem of redemption excites reminiscences in the soul of the melody of creation; the Shepherd’s voice is not strange, for we have heard it before. The sheep know His voice.
​(3) They are His also by purchase. He shed His blood, not in His own defense, but for the sake of those whom He came to rescue.

Because He knows His sheep. "I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine." (1) He knows the sheep by their faces. When a sinner is converted, he is brought face to face with the Savior; he looks the Savior in the face, and the Savior looks him in the face; and He never forgets any face, once He has a full, fair view of it.
(2) He knows you by your names. When men are comparative strangers, they surname and master one another; but the Savior surnames and masters no one. Like the mother, the sister, or the wife, full of tenderness and affection, He calls you by your Christian names.
(3) He, furthermore, is perfectly acquainted with your circumstances.
(4) This word "know," means something deeper yet; it means thorough, complete apprehension of your deepest character.

Because He feeds His sheep. "They shall go in and out and find pasture." They go in first to the fold. This supposes that they shall rest awhile after their weary wanderings in the desert. They shall go out to graze, Here is safety and satisfaction. Because He leads the sheep. He leads them, gently, safely, through life and death.   (J. C. Jones, Studies in St. John, p. 282)