Participants: Karen Pierson & Pierre Quinn (Host), Jack Blanco
Series Code: SOR
Program Code: SOR000002A
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00:23 Hello, I am Karen Pearson.
00:25 And I am here today with my co-host Pierre Quinn. 00:27 Hi, Pierre. Hi Karen. 00:29 To bring you another episode of "Stones of Remembrance," 00:33 the program where we visit with one of your favorite authors, 00:36 and look at some of their life experiences 00:38 that helped shape them 00:40 and the message found in their books. 00:42 So often, as we pass through life's deep waters 00:46 just as Joshua did, 00:48 we can meet with some unexpected blessings 00:50 along the way 00:52 that will help determine 00:53 the future direction of our lives. 00:56 But before I introduce you to today's guest, 00:58 I'd like to share something from the word with you. 01:02 It is found in Philippians 1: 6. 01:06 "For I am confident of this very thing, 01:10 that He who began a good work in you 01:14 will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." 01:18 Amen. Amen. Amen. 01:20 And now... Praise the Lord. 01:21 To our guest, I'd like to welcome Dr. Jack Blanco. 01:25 Welcome to our program. 01:27 Oh, it's great to be here. 01:28 Amen. Thank you, Jack. 01:30 It's an honor for us to have you with us. 01:34 Jack, you served for many years as the Dean of Religion... 01:38 Yes. 01:40 In a School of Theology at Southern Adventist University. 01:42 Correct. 01:44 Is there anything else you can tell us about yourself? 01:46 About myself? Yes. 01:48 Oh, where do we start? 01:52 Oh, yes. 01:56 The Lord has guided me all my life 01:59 ever since I was small. 02:01 Amen. 02:03 Yeah, I didn't realize it then, but looking back, now I know. 02:10 Amen. 02:11 You know, when I was, 02:13 I was born in Chicago by immigrant mother. 02:17 And my mother and father were planning to get married... 02:21 he was from Vienna, Austria. 02:24 And they were planning to get married 02:26 and just before the wedding, he left. 02:31 I mean, my mother called his apartment, 02:34 there was no answer. 02:35 Next day, she called again, there was no answer. 02:38 So she went over there and the land lady said, 02:40 "No, he's left." 02:41 "When?" 02:43 "Oh, couple of days ago." 02:44 "Oh, what about all these furniture and stuff?" 02:48 "He took it with him." 02:50 "Where did he go?" "Don't know." 02:51 Wow. 02:52 Oh, so here I was, you know, with a... single mom. 02:57 And... 03:00 she never told me much about him, 03:02 you know, until, later 03:05 because she was so hurt over that. 03:07 Right. Right. 03:09 And, then she had to work as an immigrant, 03:11 she had to work in the bakery 03:13 for, you know, hours each day, I mean, ten hours a day and... 03:17 And so she put me out with baby sitters. 03:20 And they... 03:22 they didn't treat me very kindly, they abused me 03:24 and I don't want to go into all that detail. 03:26 That's a kind of rough start to a young life, Jack, isn't it? 03:30 Yes, and then, of course, when I was about 19 years old... 03:38 my mother said, "Let's go back to Germany, Bavaria," 03:42 where she came from, to see her parents, 03:45 my grand parents. 03:46 Yes. Which I had never met. 03:49 And so we went over there. 03:50 My father... my grandfather 03:51 owned a little farm in a village. 03:55 And oh, wow, to be out of Chicago. 03:58 Wow! Wow! 03:59 The sky is blue... Different world. 04:01 Whatever, different world, animals and... I just loved it. 04:05 So my grand father said to my mother, 04:08 "Why don't you let him stay out of school for a year 04:11 and get some sunshine 04:12 and, you know, and built little muscle?" 04:17 And so my mother said, well, ask... let's ask him. 04:23 Well now, wait a minute, wait a minute. 04:24 You ask a 10 year old, 04:26 if he wants to stay out of school for a year, 04:27 what is he going to say? 04:29 Well, of course. Of course. 04:31 So she had to go back. 04:33 You know, go back to work. 04:35 And, because of her job. 04:37 So I stayed there. 04:39 While I was there, before the year was up, 04:42 World War II started. 04:44 Wow, now be-- before we get to that Jack, 04:46 before we get to that... 04:48 All the boarders were closed, couldn't get anywhere. 04:50 Okay. 04:51 We are going to get into that little bit later. 04:53 But before we do, 04:54 we are going to look at five of the books 04:56 that you have written. 04:58 And the books are, "Warriors," "Chosen," 05:02 "Rulers," "Survivors" and "Savior." 05:06 Five very special books that you have written. 05:09 And as you know, on this show 05:11 we are looking at those experiences 05:13 in the life of our author that helped to shape their message. 05:17 Oh. Yes. 05:19 Okay. 05:20 So I think we, we've all experienced 05:24 those middle of the river experiences, 05:26 right, where something happens 05:28 and it helps change the direction of... 05:30 Even if it doesn't seem like it, at the time. 05:32 At the time. At the time. 05:33 That's right. 05:35 So you have these five wonderful books, Jack. 05:37 How long did it take you to write them? 05:41 Oh, my, well, I started writing them 05:45 after I wrote "The Clear Word." 05:47 Okay. 05:48 And we will get into "The Clear Word" in a minute, 05:51 and then, why I wrote that, and so on. 05:54 But I noticed that the young people, 05:59 you know, I am there at the University, 06:01 I noticed that young people like read narratives. 06:06 Yes. 06:07 So I thought, oh, okay... 06:12 let's write the gospels as a story. 06:17 You know, let's take the four gospels 06:19 and write it as one story... 06:23 so which I did. 06:24 That's why you have, you know, the book called the "Savior." 06:27 "Savior." Four gospels, one story. 06:29 Yes. 06:30 And then obviously, it's all about Jesus. 06:32 Yes. 06:33 And you know, I would venture to say that 06:35 it's not just young people who like reading narratives, 06:37 but we all do. 06:39 We all like a really good story. 06:41 And really the gospels were written 06:43 as a story originally, weren't they? 06:45 Yeah, sure. Yes. 06:46 And then, of course, 06:48 I decided after I finished that, 06:49 I decided well, well, let's go 06:52 and finish the, the other part of the New Testament. 06:57 Oh, well, you see, you have the epistles at the end, 07:03 you know, you have Book of Acts and so on. 07:06 But the epistles you come at the end. 07:09 I should know, Paul's epistles need to be 07:12 put in where they belong chronologically. 07:15 Okay. Yes. Yeah. 07:17 So that's why I wrote, you know, a book "The Witness." 07:22 It's a chronological presentation 07:25 of the New Testament. 07:27 Wonderful. 07:28 You know, obviously outside the gospel. 07:32 Right. And, yeah, sure. 07:34 So when we're, when we're reading 07:36 some of these five books that the Karen mentioned, 07:39 and in many cases it causes you to take, 07:42 maybe a fresh look at biblical characters 07:45 that you thought you knew. 07:46 Why is that important for us 07:48 to keep taking fresh looks at these Bible characters? 07:51 Well, you need to bring them to life. 07:53 So when you read it as the story, 07:55 and it comes more to life rather than reading it 08:00 like we normally do, you know. 08:02 Sure. 08:03 And then, of course, I decided, 08:05 well, let's go from New Testament to Old Testament. 08:07 And so I did the same thing for the Old Testament. 08:10 I think the book "Chosen" was the first one. 08:13 The "Warriors," second one. 08:14 I think that's out. 08:15 And then we're supposed to get the, the "Rulers" 08:19 and then the "Survivors" 08:22 which finishes the Old Testament. 08:23 Right. That's wonderful. And the same story. 08:25 The titles are powerful. The titles. 08:27 One word, powerful titles? 08:29 Because too, you see, in the Old Testament, 08:32 okay, you have some of the prophets at the end. 08:35 Yes. 08:36 You know, the prophets need to put in 08:38 where they belong chronologically. 08:40 Yeah. Sure. 08:41 Yeah, that's wonderful. 08:43 That's a real gift 08:44 that you've given to the church, Jack. 08:46 Well, you know, it's to reach people 08:49 and to draw them closer to Jesus. 08:51 Which brings me... 08:53 That's what it's all about. Right. 08:54 Which brings me to the point, when you write about Jesus, 08:58 you write about Him with such warmth 09:02 and such authenticity. 09:04 And so I wondered, 09:07 how would you describe your walk with Jesus? 09:11 Okay, let me backup just a little bit, okay. 09:15 While I was in Germany, okay, of course, the war started, 09:20 borders were closed. 09:21 I ended up in labor camp. 09:24 Now there are-- because I was an American. 09:27 Yes. 09:28 Now there is a concentration camp, we all know. 09:31 Okay, and the way you know, 09:33 that people went to concentration camp 09:35 if they have a tattoo number on their arm. 09:39 Then there's labor camp 09:40 which is more or less restrictions. 09:43 But then there is another one we forget, 09:46 that is slave labor camp. 09:48 And we don't hear much about that. 09:51 The slave labor camp was like a concentration camp 09:55 in its purpose, okay. 09:58 And I was working in a munitions factory 10:02 for the German army. 10:04 We worked 10 hours a day and very little food and... 10:08 I mean, for breakfast we got a cup of black coffee 10:11 and a slice of bread. 10:12 Yeah. 10:13 And at noon, a bowl of watery soup, 10:15 two slices of bread, at night cup of black coffee 10:16 and slice of bread. 10:18 I saw people collapse and they carry them out 10:22 and that was the end. 10:24 Okay. 10:26 Just like, you know, 10:28 putting in the gas chamber kind of similar thing. 10:31 Yeah. 10:33 But anyway, you know, the Lord was with me through all that 10:36 then finally I came back to the States, 10:39 and wow, you know, be a-- free, home free. 10:44 Wow. 10:46 See my mother again and all that. 10:48 So, Jack, where was it when did you first realize 10:53 that Jesus had died for you 10:55 and that you loved Him and He loved you? 10:56 I'm coming to that, I'm coming to that. 10:59 So after, you know, a year or so back, 11:02 at back home, yeah, I had put on, 11:05 I, when I came home I weighed about 85 pounds, 11:09 only 5 ft tall, 17 years old. 11:12 Oh my. 11:14 So after being home for about a year, year and a half, 11:17 I grew six inches and put on 50 pounds 11:21 and then the American Government 11:25 looked at me and says. 11:26 "Oh, yeah, where have you been? 11:27 I think we could use you." 11:30 Yeah, and then I was drafted, okay? 11:33 And it was during the Korean War I was sent, 11:38 you know, to the South Pacific 11:41 and that's where I gave my heart to the Lord. 11:43 But let me tell you that what happened. 11:46 My mother has all, taught me always. 11:49 Okay, "Son, never lose your self respect." 11:55 Never lose your self respect. 11:57 I never forgot that, so when- and then in military, 12:00 I see, you know, on the week end, 12:02 you know, what solders do, I said, I don't want that. 12:06 And I looked at the officers, well they were a little better 12:09 but they also have their parties. 12:11 I don't know. 12:12 And one night I was in my bunk 12:16 with a mosquito net around me... 12:20 and I was thinking, you know, 12:22 who could I model my life after? 12:24 I don't have anyone. 12:27 I was gonna make the military, 12:28 my career but I changed my mind. 12:31 Oh, you know, don't know my father and who, whatever. 12:37 And as I was lying there thinking about that 12:39 and barrack was empty, it was very quite. 12:45 I hear a still small voice. 12:51 God is my witness, 12:52 I'm telling you, not an impression... 12:54 Yes. 12:55 A still small voice. 12:59 "Have you ever thought 13:01 of modeling your life after Jesus?" 13:06 Oh, well, I knew something about Jesus 13:10 and He was honest and true and dependable. 13:12 Right. 13:14 Oh, if I would have lived 2,000 years ago, 13:17 walking by the Sea of Galilee 13:19 and He would looked at me 13:20 and say, "Jack, come follow me." 13:22 I would have, oh, I'd follow and been there. 13:25 Yeah. 13:27 Then I was thinking to myself, but that was 2,000 years ago. 13:32 And I hear this still small voice again. 13:37 "He's not dead. 13:39 He's alive, you can follow Him now." 13:44 Wow. 13:46 Did that change my life? Absolutely. 13:48 That's when Jesus came into my life in a powerful way. 13:52 Absolutely. 13:54 I mean, I would have imagined 13:56 what was it like to walk with Jesus, 13:58 if He were here today. 14:00 You know, I couldn't imagine, 14:02 say "Well, Jack here, have a cigarette." 14:05 No. 14:06 Or "Let's stop in here and have a drink." 14:10 Right. No. Okay. 14:13 Or stealing or lying. Right. 14:15 No, Jesus wouldn't lie or steal, would He? 14:18 No. No. 14:20 Thank you, Jack. 14:21 We're gonna take a break right now, 14:23 and, so that you can find out, 14:25 how that you can get these books of Jack's 14:28 that he has written, 14:30 narrative right from the Scripture, 14:32 very powerful. 14:34 Just take a moment to watch this, 14:36 and we'll be right back. 14:37 Thank you. 14:41 In this five book set, 14:42 Jack Blanco, who brings to life 14:44 the narratives of the text of the Bible, 14:46 in his clear and unique style, 14:48 from the dazzling beauty of Eden 14:50 to a world in darkness and death, 14:52 from patriarchs and prophets and kings, 14:54 both faithful and defiant. 14:56 Enjoy the unified narrative 14:58 that merges the four gospel accounts into one, 15:01 to present the timeless captivating story of Jesus, 15:05 our savior. 15:06 You will be inspired 15:07 as you read of the faithfulness of the leaders 15:10 of the infant Christian church, 15:12 in spite of beating, stoning, exile and imprisonment, 15:16 there were men and women determined 15:18 to share Jesus with the world. 15:20 To get your copy of Jack Blanco's five book set, 15:24 call 1-800-765-6955. 15:29 Stop by your local Adventist Book Center 15:31 or order online at www.AdventistBookCenter.com. 15:44 Jack, you've led an amazing life, 15:47 and you've had some great adventures. 15:49 What would you describe as your greatest adventure? 15:53 My greatest adventure? Yes. 15:56 To walk with the Lord is the greatest adventure ever, 16:00 sure, I mean, after, you know, 16:02 well, I heard that still small voice, 16:06 model your life after Jesus, 16:07 yeah, well, there changes that had to be made, 16:10 but the Lord continued to lead, 16:11 you know, lead me into a call to the ministry, 16:17 I was like, "Me, a call to the ministry." 16:21 But anyway, the Lord called, 16:23 provided and gave me a wonderful wife. 16:26 She was a Bible worker and you know, in Chicago, 16:29 and then when I was on furlough, 16:32 we met and I got married. 16:34 And then of course, served as a... 16:36 went to school and seminary 16:38 and then, you know, served as pastor 16:41 and then served in, as a missionary in Africa 16:44 and the Philippines and so on, and then got a call to... 16:49 well, I taught at Columbia Union College 16:51 and then also Southern Adventist University. 16:55 And one morning I was thinking, 16:57 you know, I need to get closer to Jesus, 17:00 because you read the Bible, and you read the Bible 17:02 and you read the Spirit of Prophecy 17:04 and you read, and it's all good. 17:08 But after a while you get into a routine, 17:12 instead of a personal relationship. 17:15 And I said, oh, if Jesus were today, 17:20 wouldn't that be wonderful? 17:22 I mean, if I maybe, we took a walk together 17:24 or He was ridding in the car with me 17:27 or I met Him somewhere. 17:29 I wonder what He would tell me. 17:32 Oh, the thought came, well, He wouldn't sit 17:35 and tell you anything different than He's already said. 17:38 I said "Yeah, but how would He say it?" 17:42 Oh, yes, how would he say it? 17:47 Oh, may be I should write this down, 17:49 if He were, if He were here today 17:52 and we were taking a walk or whatever 17:55 and met, how would He say what He said? 17:59 Okay, and so I started writing it up by hand, 18:03 and I had a real wonderful relationship with Him, 18:06 as if we were walking and talking together. 18:09 So the routine vanished. 18:11 It became something dynamic and real and very personal 18:14 and you were in the word, you were right in the word. 18:18 And when I wrote it out, you know, I didn't want to... 18:21 I wanted to write it, in such a way 18:25 as if Jesus were talking today. 18:26 Yes. 18:28 But I didn't wanted to be so calm 18:29 and as it take away the, um, what should I say, 18:35 the, the spirituality of it. 18:38 Yeah. It is sacred. 18:40 Yeah, because it's a-- yeah... 18:41 And sometimes we lose that. 18:43 No, you know, because otherwise you can write a paraphrase 18:48 and it can become too common. 18:51 No, you don't want that, 18:52 you want the, still want to have a sense of sacredness, 18:55 but yet, well, as if Jesus were talking. 18:59 And I would get up 3:30 in the morning 19:01 and I would start writing, 19:03 you know, I had my own personal devotions with Him 19:06 and then my wife would say, 19:08 and you know, "You have to get ready for the class 19:10 and eat breakfast and be on time." 19:13 Oh, yeah, that's true, well, I was in a different world. 19:15 Right. 19:16 I was in different world, okay? 19:19 Um, I was walking there by the side of Galilee, 19:22 I was talking to Jesus. 19:24 I was on the mountain of olives with Him. 19:26 Yeah, yes, sure and then of course, 19:30 with you know, as I went through that, 19:32 of course, with Paul and so on so forth. 19:35 I mean, it was an amazing experience. 19:37 I finished the New Testament first, okay? 19:41 It took three years to finish New Testament 19:44 and then I showed the written manuscript to family 19:48 and my daughter-in-law said, 19:50 "Oh, why don't you give it to us for Christmas sometime?" 19:54 I said, well nobody can read all the scribbles 19:56 and crossing out and all that, I mean, okay. 20:00 So I started, 20:02 I said, well, you know, I'll transcribe it 20:05 into the computer. 20:07 And I started that but that was not the same. 20:11 Interesting. 20:13 Me and Jesus and the computer. 20:16 No, no, no. 20:18 Me and Jesus. Period. 20:20 Right? 20:21 So when I had time 20:23 so then I start working on the Old testament, 20:28 but when I had time I would transcribe... 20:33 what I had written into the New Testament. 20:35 New Testament, you know. 20:37 And so, yeah, I took three years to do the New Testament 20:40 and then I took ten years to do the Old Testament. 20:42 Wow. Yeah. 20:44 As you were writing, 20:46 at what point does it become evident, 20:49 that God has gifted you to do this? 20:52 Here's the fact that I was doing it. 20:55 Probably it was Jesus who was motivating me, 20:57 get closer to me, stay close to me, okay. 21:02 And that's what it was all about, 21:04 I mean, I didn't write it to be published. 21:07 No, but it's been published and it's been a blessing, 21:09 I mean, I do a prison work 21:13 and oh, the prisoners just love it. 21:16 And others, you know have sure been blessed by it. 21:20 Amen. Praise the Lord. 21:22 So your writing comes out of the dynamics 21:25 of your relationship with Jesus. 21:26 Amen. Not to be published. 21:28 Amen. Sure. 21:30 Yeah. That's wonderful. 21:32 That's not writing to be writing. 21:34 No, it's coming out of a relationship with Him, okay. 21:39 And the same thing with others the "Savior," 21:41 you know, one story, four gospels, 21:44 one story, and the others, 21:46 you know, "Chosen" or whatever, 21:48 your know, it comes out of a relationship. 21:50 There's no doubt in my mind. 21:52 Absolutely. 21:53 Is there anything in your life 21:55 that you would change, Jack, if you could? 21:56 No. Not a single thing? 21:58 Not a single thing, because it's Jesus all the way. 22:02 Yes. 22:03 No, did anyone change a thing, 22:04 I mean, there might be some changes, 22:06 yeah, I need to be more like Jesus. 22:10 That part is true. 22:11 We always, I mean, it's a growing process. 22:16 And the closer we get to Him, the Holy Spirit speaks to us. 22:21 Yes. 22:22 Where we need to be more gentle, 22:26 more kind, more loving, more compassionate, 22:29 and yet more firm when time comes. 22:32 Yes. Oh, yes. 22:34 So it's a whole character change, isn't it? 22:37 Absolutely. Becoming more like Jesus. 22:40 Well, that's what it's all about. 22:41 Sure, becoming like Jesus, you know. 22:44 And, you know, different people are 22:47 in different stages of growth, obviously. 22:49 Very much so. You know. 22:51 But the Lord looks at is that we are growing, 22:55 okay, I mean, even though after all these years, 22:59 you know, oh, let's see 23:02 when did I give my heart to the Lord, 23:05 hear that still small voice, 23:08 oh, that goes back what to 48 or 49? 23:12 Yeah, that's a few years ago, Jack. 23:15 That's a few years ago, yeah sure, 23:18 but I mean, it's growing, growing, 23:19 growing, growing process. 23:21 Yeah. Sure. 23:22 Or whether, whether, 23:24 people have just given their heart to Lord Jesus Christ, 23:26 you know, recently. 23:28 Yes. 23:29 Or a year or two ago. 23:30 There are growing and... 23:33 the only thing that God looks at, are we growing? 23:36 Yes. 23:37 It's so much compelling about your story, Jack. 23:41 And unfortunately, 23:42 we are almost out of time with our program. 23:44 So if someone's reading any of your work for the first time 23:49 or maybe like you they're in a place where it seems dark 23:53 and overwhelming. 23:55 What would you say to some one who's experiencing a dark 23:58 and overwhelming time 23:59 and trying to find God in midst of it? 24:08 God is always near them... 24:13 and to have an experience with God, 24:16 it's a matter of staying close to Him, 24:19 in difficult times and easy times, 24:25 where else, Pierre, where else can we go? 24:30 I mean... Amen. 24:32 Even in difficult times, 24:35 yes, when I think back at my life, 24:40 yeah, there have been some difficult times, 24:43 you know, and some times when you lose loved ones, 24:50 it's difficult time, you know, when my wife... 24:54 I had to care, 24:55 she, I'd be the care taker for her in last few years 24:59 and to lose her after 60 years of marriage. 25:02 Wow. 25:03 And see her suffering. 25:07 Oh, I mean, it just wrung my heart, 25:11 you know, and I think of Calvary, okay. 25:14 I lost my son, he was 52 years old, 25:17 a physician, died from Lou Gehrig's disease, 25:20 you know, probably about 5 years ago 25:24 and my wife three years ago. 25:28 But when I saw my... let's use my son, 25:32 when I saw my son suffer, 25:35 if I could have done some thing would I have done it? 25:39 Yes. 25:41 Can you imagine what I learned from that... 25:44 About God. 25:45 About God, can you imagine 25:48 God watching His son being spit on, 25:51 slapped, cursed, 25:54 and all that, nailed to a piece of wood. 25:59 Now wait a minute, I mean, if I had the power to do it 26:03 and that was happening to my son what would I do? 26:07 I would step in and stop it. 26:10 But, Pierre, God did not step in and stop it, 26:16 even though He could have. 26:18 Praise the Lord. 26:20 Can you imagine the emotional pain... 26:23 that the Father must have suffered? 26:27 Okay. 26:28 Oh, and He did not step in, 26:34 why, because He loves us so much. 26:38 Jack, we thank you so much, 26:40 for taking us down a path where we remember that 26:42 God loves us so much. 26:44 This has been another episode of "Stones of Remembrance," 26:48 where we know that God takes the dark moments of our lives 26:50 and gives us powerful testimonies. 26:53 I'm Pierre Quinn, 26:54 and for my co-host Karen Pearson, 26:56 we thank you for watching 26:57 and we look forward to talking with you next time. 27:31 Roger Morneau was a man of remarkable faith. 27:34 He believed in the power of prayer, 27:36 because he walked each day 27:38 in the presence of a prayer answering God. 27:40 When he prayed things happened. 27:43 Some miracles saved him from certain death. 27:46 But most of the stories 27:48 in "The Incredible Power of Prayer" 27:50 are in response to his prayers for others. 27:53 Shattered families are reunited, 27:56 addicts find freedom. 27:58 Through these stories 27:59 God's amazing answers to prayer are shared. 28:03 And he shows how you too 28:05 can take hold of the incredible power of prayer 28:08 and experience God's power to change lives. 28:11 Quantity pricing available. 28:14 To get your copy 28:15 of "The Incredible Power of Prayer," 28:17 call 1-800-765-6955. 28:21 Stop by your local Adventist Book Center 28:24 or order online at AdventistBookCenter.com. |
Revised 2015-12-17