Jesus, our “Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6), has a message. To a world bitterly fragmented by geo-political greed and aggression, Jesus has a message.

• To a nation constantly fighting civil wars that come from self-serving ideologies, Jesus has a message.
• To a generic Christendom improperly offering a relationship with God on its own terms, Jesus has a message.
• To a church fractured by a history of idolizing opinions, minimizing doctrine, and the tradition of fussing over tradition, Jesus has a message.
• To congregations that have split and are rummaging through the debris of bitterness and the shame of a lost future, Jesus has a message.
• To Christians who put their convictions on display and display a want of compassion, Jesus has a message.
• To those of us who can’t seem to get along with anyone who won’t go along with us, Jesus has a message.

His message is as clear and powerful as the “Peace! Be still!” he spoke to a storm (Mk. 4:39). He said, “Be at peace with one another” (Mk. 9:50). In JESUS: PRINCE OF PEACE, NOT PIECES, Dan Winkler encourages us to be peacemakers and enjoy the togetherness Jesus makes possible. He dares to challenge us, our home congregations, our brotherhood, and religion as a whole with the prospect of Peter’s words, “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind (1 Pet. 3:8).

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them saying: Blessed are … Jesus never went “on tour” as a motivational speaker. He didn’t author a definitive study on how to fill one’s life with all that it is lacking. No, he wasn’t a therapist who addressed all the insecurities of his day. He was a simple man who lived a simple, pauper’s life and shared a simple message of joy. It began with these familiar words. •Blessed [literally, “Happy”] — Yes. It is possible for us to enjoy our lives. •are — Happiness can be ours right now. We don’t have to wait for heaven. •the / those who — We can know true joy if we choose to be a certain kind of person. What kind person? Dare to find out? In JESUS’ “BE” ATTITUDES, Dan Winkler places us inside our Lord’s “beatitudes” and the joy they promise. He helps us understand what these thirteen “Simple Sayings” require of us and what they look like in life by using Jesus as an example. Then, he offers us practical how-to ways we can bring each into our own lives and know a peace we never dreamed possible.