Many consider the 1972 Olympic Men’s Basketball Tournament the most infamous example of game rigging in history. The US team entered the tournament with a 63-0 record and faced the Soviet Union in the gold-medal game in Munich. The Soviets led much of the game, but the US came back to make it 48-49. Doug Collins went to the line after a foul to try to take the lead, making the first to tie it. A horn sounded during the second shot, but Collins still made it. Afterward, the Soviets were supposed to inbound the live ball and were not penalized when their coach charged toward the scorers. The Soviets were given three inbound opportunities, and on the final one, they made a layup to win.

2 Peter 2 – False Teachers

Chances are, if you have played sports, you have felt victimized at least once by an official or referee. There are all kinds of scams in sports, from steroids to sports memorabilia. The most threatening scam or con you will face in life is not in sports. The most harmful deceptions are in religion, which Peter addresses in chapter 2. He warned his readers to base their faith on the truth of the gospel because counterfeiters were among them (2:1).

The false teachers were primarily motivated by greed, which led them to teach lies that would bring the most money. These counterfeit truths were imitations meant to deceive the unaware. Today, some ministries are based on lies and can reach more people than ever because of the Internet. They appear real but only deceive those who buy into their false answers and false hope.

Peter urged the believers to rely on sound teaching, to encourage persistence in the faith, and to establish biblical foundations for beliefs and practices. He sought to set the church on solid ground and to avoid false teachers at all costs. Today, these same counterfeit teachers threaten to weaken faith unless believers rely on the truth of God’s Word.

The Kingdom Coach and Athlete think critically about what they hear from teachers, using the Bible as their source of authority rather than how a message makes them feel. They seek clear truth grounded in real knowledge!

Bible Memory Verse – “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some consider slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 (LSB)

Click HERE for the Kingdom Sports Minute: Spiritual Counterfeit

Our featured book this week is Wolves Can’t Fly (KC Wolf: Faith, Family & Fur) by Dan Meers. Dan Meers has been KC Wolf, the mascot of the Kansas City Chiefs, for over 25 years. In 2006, he was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame. Dan travels throughout the United States and the world entertaining thousands of people both in and out of costume. He is in high demand not only as a mascot but also as a humorous and motivational speaker to audiences of all ages. His enthusiasm, optimism, and love for life are contagious and make Dan an inspiration to all who meet him. His biography will entertain and inspire young and old alike.

Click HERE to review. 

To see our full catalog of Bible Study Guides and Devotions, click HERE