Are You A "Make-Believer?"

“Thus the Lord God showed me: Behold, a basket of summer fruit. And He said, ‘Amos, what do you see?’ So I said, ‘A basket of summer fruit.’ Then the Lord said to me: ‘The end has come upon My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore.’”
– Amos 8:1-2

Whatever walk of life we are in, God has a way of speaking to us so personally. Jesus did this in His parables. He did not simply use parables as “illustrations” but as “illumination.” Warren Wiersbe wrote that “Parables are not entertainment; they’re powerful shock therapy.” Powerful shock therapy that is designed to grab the will. This is how God was speaking to His people through the prophet Amos. They would be shocked to hear that God was bringing judgment.

Amos understood the vision of summer fruit. He was a farmer, and the Lord spoke to him in a way he and the people would understand. The picture here is that the fruit is seasonal. It is fresh for a while but will not last very long; it will eventually rot. It was already in a basket, it was harvested, and the time for gathering was over. Knowing the season would give Amos the heart to preach with conviction.

The Nation of Israel had a form of godliness, but they were ungodly people. This is why God sent prophets to warn the nation to turn back to Him. The Lord still does this today. There are a lot of churches in the world that have a form of godliness, but they do not teach the Bible. They work up crowds with excitement, yet there is no substance. This leaves the church with “tares” and “goats.” They produce people who look the same as believers but are “Make-believers,” and their lives do not demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit. Know where you stand today. Are you a disciple of Jesus Christ or are you a “Make-believer?” There will come a day where the Lord will pass by those who never accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.

"The harvest is past, The summer is ended, And we are not saved!"
– Jeremiah 8:20