If the Devil were to write his beatitudes, they would probably go something like this:

1.  Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend an hour once a week with their fellow Christians -- they are my best workers.

2.  Blessed are those Christians who wait to be asked and expect to be thanked -- I can use them.

3.  Blessed are the touchy who stop going to church -- they are my missionaries.

4.  Blessed are the trouble makers -- they shall be called my children.

5. Blessed are the complainers -- I'm all ears to them.

6. Blessed are those who are bored with the minister's mannerisms and mistakes --  for they get nothing out of  his sermons.

7.  Blessed is the church member who expects to be invited to his own church -- for he is a part of the problem instead of the solution.

8.  Blessed are those who gossip -- for they shall cause strife and divisions that please me.

9.  Blessed are those who are easily offended -- for they will soon get angry and quit.

10.  Blessed are those who do not give their offering to carry on God's work for they are my helpers.

11.  Blessed is he who professes to love God but hates his brother and sister for he shall be with  me forever.

12.  Blessed are you who, when you read this, think it is about other people and not yourself  -- I've got you too!

How are you at living according to the Devil’s beatitudes?  When we live in accord with these, we serve his purposes rather than God’s.  This is a serious problem.  The solution or this problem is to first recognize it, second repent of it, third confess it to God, and fourth determine to live according to Jesus’ beatitudes found in Matthew 5.

--Selected