Daily Devotional for Monday March 17, 2003

Elizabeth Smart was Rescued Alive and Well

(Matthew 15:9, 1 Timothy 1:7, 4:1-2, 6:3, 2 Timothy 4:3, Colossians 2:8)

The nation and the world rejoiced last week over the news that Elizabeth Smart, who was taken from her home over 9 months ago, was rescued alive and well. However, in the midst of the elation over her safe return to her parents, questions are now being asked. Why didn't she run away when there were many opportunities to do so? Why did she lie to the police about her identity when they were trying to rescue her? When the police positively identified her, why was she so concerned about what would happen to her captors, Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Eileen Barzee? The answer to these questions my friend, lie in the MORMON CHURCH!

The fact that Mormonism is a cult is not even a debatable issue. MORMONS ARE NOT CHRISTIANS! The Mormon Church is NOT a Christian denomination! Mormonism and Christianity are two entirely different faiths. The foundation of Christianity is based on the inspired, inerrant Word of God, the Bible, written by God Himself. It represents Absolute Truth and is the FINAL AUTHORITY in ALL matters. The foundation of Mormonism is based on the Book of Mormon and the Pearl of Great Price, written by a delusional lunatic, a self professed "prophet of god" named Joseph Smith. Mormon theology is also based on their Doctrine and Covenants and the words of a LIVING PROPHET!

The "god" of the Mormons is NOT the God of the Bible. In Mormon theology there can be many "gods". The Mormon god was once a man. In Mormonism, MAN CAN BECOME GOD! The "Jesus" of Mormonism is NOT the Jesus of the Bible. In Mormon theology, Jesus was the brother of satan, he was married, he was NOT deity. Salvation in Mormon theology is based solely on good works and baptism. Despite the fact that the Mormons use the same words as Christians use such as god, Jesus, and salvation, the MEANING of these words are NOT the same as in Christian theology.

When the Elizabeth Smart case broke last summer, your heart had to break for this family whose beautiful 14 year old daughter was taken right from her bedroom in the middle of the night. This had to be one of a parent's worst nightmares. Your heart broke for this mom and dad as they pleaded for their daughter to be safely returned to them. However, in the midst of the coverage of this event on all of the 24-hour cable news networks, I had a real check in my spirit over two issues.

I read in some of the early reports and later confirmed it, that the Smart family were devout Mormons and very active in the leadership of their church. So every time I heard them use the name of "god" or "Jesus" in their news conferences, I understood that their god, their Jesus, was not the God or Jesus of the Bible. Also, this obscure family became incredibly media savvy overnight. The Mormon church spends tens of millions of dollars every year in promoting their cult, not to mention the fact that they own dozens of radio and television stations nationwide. I am sure that you have seen the wonderfully produced, family appealing ads that make you feel so warm and fuzzy, with the tag at the end that tells you it was brought to you by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Mormons. No doubt the Mormon church advised the Smart family in how to use the media to help them find their daughter. Of course, I realized that if my daughter had been taken, I would be praying to whatever god I believed in, and would use every available means at my disposal to do what I could to get her back.

Now that Elizabeth has been found and safely returned to her family, the questions of what exactly happened to her over these past 9 months are being asked. Legitimate questions that seem to have no logical answer, unless you understand the MORMON CHURCH! Elizabeth Smart was raised from birth in a devout Mormon home. She was taught from birth Mormon theology. As a Mormon, she understood the concept of "man becoming god". She understood that a "living prophet" was to be revered. This was the faith that Elizabeth Smart was raised in, and taught to believe in, her entire life.

Now let's look at Brian David Mitchell. His first interaction with the Smart family seems to have been with Elizabeth's mother who gave him some money after seeing him begging on the street, and offered him some work at their home. It may seem odd to invite a beggar to come and do work at your house unless you realize that Brian David Mitchell was also...a MORMON! The media of course has labeled him as a "religious fanatic" who claims to be a "prophet of god". The fact is, Brian David Mitchell is 100% sane! He is simply a Mormon that is espousing Mormon theology and feels that he is called by his god to be a living prophet. Of course the Mormon Church has quickly denounced him since in their cult, there can only be one "living prophet".

So maybe now you can understand that the mystery of the Elizabeth Smart case, the questions that are now being raised about these past 9 months, lie within the Mormon Church. It seems obvious that Mitchell did abduct her. However, once he did, it is also clear to me what happened. He told Elizabeth that god had chosen her to be his wife. She would be one of the wives of a "prophet of god". While polygamy is illegal and socially unacceptable, it is STILL a doctrine and practice in the Mormon Church despite their claims to the contrary. I imagine that for a 14 year old Mormon girl, instead of being in fear for her life, she bought into what Mitchell told her 100% and felt "special". While the media is lost in their "brainwash" and "Patty Hearst syndrome" theories to explain this, the fact is Elizabeth Smart simply went from one Mormon home to another!

I CHALLENGE THOSE WHO INTERVIEW THE SMART FAMILY, THOSE WHO WILL ONE DAY INTERVIEW ELIZABETH SMART, BRIAN DAVID MITCHELL, AND WANDA EILEEN BARZEE TO QUESTION THEM ABOUT THEIR MORMON FAITH AND THE ROLE THAT IT PLAYED IN THESE EVENTS. I CHALLENGE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THOSE IN THE LEGAL COMMUNITY THAT HANDLE THIS CASE TO UNDERSTAND THE ROLE THAT MORMONISM PLAYED. WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND THE MORMON CULT, YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THE ELIZABETH SMART CASE!

I love you and care about you so much. My goal today is to not only expose the "lie" of Mormonism, but to encourage you in your daily walk with the God of the Bible, with the Jesus of the Bible. Mormonism and other cults are growing fast as Paul said in 2 Timothy chapter 3 said would happen in the days before Christ returns. On the surface, these cults sound wonderful. They espouse family values, they promote good works, they promote loving each other. But their foundation is NOT based on the God of the Bible, but a false god. Their faith is in in vain since there is "no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

I pray today that you will not be deceived, but hold firm to the TRUTH which is found only in the Bible. Each day I get thousands of prayer requests for family members and friends that have bought into the lie of cults like Mormonism, Jehovah's Witness, Christian Science, Scientology, and many others. I pray today for those that you know who may be in a cult. I pray that their eyes will be opened and find the real TRUTH that is only the Bible, and not the false teachings of some man. I also pray today for Elizabeth Smart. I pray that one day when she gets older, she will open her heart and God will send someone into her life to share with her that the Jesus in the Bible loves her, died for her sins, and wants to have a personal relationship with her. The perfect relationship that she thought she found in this false prophet, Brian David Mitchell, is ONLY FOUND IN JESUS CHRIST...THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD!!!

In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ,

Bill Keller