What Jesus Did! 'Away from Me!' — Matthew 7:21-23

Saturday, March 29, 2025

[Jesus continued:] "Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws.'"
— Matthew 7:21-23 NLT

Key Thought

While "you can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all the time," you can never fool the Lord at any time! False teachers may deceive other people, but never the Lord. Substituting proclamations of faith for a life of faith won't cut it. Substituting mighty acts in Jesus' name for living a life of righteousness won't cut it either. Deception, sham, falsehood, manipulation, and hype are works of the evil one and will be handled as such by the conquering Savior. So let's be among"those who actually do the will of [the] Father in heaven."

Today's Prayer

Holy Lord, I want to follow you: not just in talk, but also in deed. Almighty Lord, I want to reflect your character: not just in Bible study, but also in daily lifestyle. I want to know you by knowing your character, service, and righteousness through living them in my life. In the name of your holy Son, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

23 Related Resources by Heartlight

Sandra Reaches for the Wrong Thing
Article by Russ Lawson
What are you reaching for? We show we are Jesus' disciples by what we do, but so often what we reach for is the wrong thing.
The Foolish Man's House Went...
Article by Phil Ware
How can we avoid the foolish man's crash? Phil Ware reminds us of the harsh truth about knowing more than we put into practice, we are certainly called to be much more than a biblical thumb drive.
That's Not the Way that Momma Did It
Article by Russ Lawson
Why not listen to the old story and look for something fresh and new? Sometimes we trust too much in what we've learned in the past and things we have learned from our parents rather than seeking the truth ourselves and then living it.
Heaven's Window
Article by Phil Ware
Doesn't discipleship involve more than just saying the right words? Phil Ware shares his second post in his four article series on Peter's confession, focusing this time on our tendency to reduce faith to words and not actions and discipleship.
See All 23 Related Resources about Matthew 7:21-23

Illustration

Illustration of Matthew 7:21-23 NLT — Get away from me, you who break God's laws.

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Saturday, March 29, 2025

God's Holy Fire
A daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
'The Knowledge of God's Will' (Co. 1:9)
"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will..."
Spiritual Warfare
A daily devotional about God's power for our battles.
'Jesus Holds the Keys to Death and Hell'
"When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead person. But he put his right hand on me and said: “Don’t be afraid! I am the first, the last, and the....."
Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'Eternal Comfort' (2 Th. 2:1-17)
"Dear Father, Thank you for calling us to salvation through the Good News of Christ, so that we may obtain the glory of the Lord Jesus. Help us to..."
Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'Opportunity for Fame and Compromise'
"While they were at Lystra, Paul and Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet. He had been that way from birth, so he had never walked. He was..."

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

More What Jesus Did!