Romans 1:5 Qualifying to Qualify
On February 18, 2001, I was invited to my late friend/co-worker Harold’s place to watch the opening of the Daytona 500, the official start of the NASCAR season. Other co-workers and friends were there along with Harold’s family. Harold had lots of food, plenty of beer, and liquor to be honest it was just a party. The race was very exciting and near the end, Dale Earnhardt’s famous black number 3 chevy slammed into a wall. Some at the NASCAR party laughed and others booed, but we all assume he was fine. We were used to Dale’s wrecks and he cause many of them, that is how he earn the nickname “The Intimidator”. A few hours later, I learn and the rest of the NASCAR world learn that Dale’s slam against the wall was fatal and the Intimidator racing career was over. In December 2001, I attended the Gastonia Seventh Day Adventist Church and gave my life to the Lord shortly after. After being baptized in 2002, I learned, that Dale Earnhardt had a cousin named John Earnhardt, who is an Adventist evangelistic minister. In John’s autobiography Victory Lane: The John Earnhardt Story, wrote he and Dale’s parents were both bootleggers. Many times while his father would deliver bootleg liquor, he and his little sister would lay on top of bottles. A few times, John would drive even when he was not tall enough to reach the gas pedal because his daddy was too drunk to drive. Bootlegging is how NASCAR was started, driving fast to deliver liquor and avoiding the police. John had been saved by grace, faith showed John how to obey God. John’s love for Jesus made him an apostle to share the gospel with as many as possible. In Dale Earnhardt’s 27 years in NASCAR, he won 7 Winston Cup champions, but that will not matter in God’s kingdom. His legacy, his trophies, and his fast number 3 car mean nothing to God, and they should mean nothing to a bondservant or apostle of the Lord. The evangelist John Earnhardt is like the apostle Paul and like myself, we only want to share the gospel and help others have and win victory in Jesus’ name. For John, it is a privilege to share the good news gospel. It is a pleasure for him to see you accept God’s amazing grace. Those who listen and believe what John Earnhardt preaches and teaches will win a reward that never crashes or burn. God bless you all; Jesus loves you all, and so do I. His bondservant and apostle, Samuel Jerry Head.
