A Passport to God: Parables and Fables

By Richard A. Holmberg

A cross is born. Why is it important to travel with it in hand? Can our senses be used to explore other than this earthly domain? What can we do to build our life in preparation for the beginning of our next moments in time?
A Passport to God is a montage of one hundred ninety-one parables and fables, which gives hope and insight to all who question God’s presence. The series of stories portrays how life and living are two separate ideas. This book explains a life with or without God by our side. It is a perfect dialogue starter for pastors, family gatherings, and social groups. Quotes from the Old and New Testaments reinforce many of the stories and are great drop-off points for reflection or a gateway to the Bible.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9781636302683

Book preview

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A

PASSPORT

TO

GOD

A

Passport

to

God

Parables And Fables

Richard A. Holmberg

Copyright © 2020 by Richard A. Holmberg

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by United States of America copyright law. For permission requests, contact the publisher.

Published in the United States by Covenant Books, 11661 Hwy 707 Murrells Inlet, SC 29576. www.covenantbooks.com.

FIRST EDITION

The parables and fables in A Passport to God are a work of fiction. All incidents, places, and dialogues, and all characters with the exception of some well-known historical figures, are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. With the exception to well-known historical figures, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. www.nrsvbibles.org.

Scriptures marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1984 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked KJV are taken from the KING JAMES VERSION (KJV): KING JAMES VERSION, public domain.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Author photograph by Gaylord Z. Spurgeon

Library of Congress control number: 2020920371

ISBN 978-1-63630-267-6 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63630-268-3 (Digital)

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

The Purple Rose

A Journey

The Beginning to the End

Early Beings

Ancient Times

Ape and Man

The Dove and the Rose

His Arrival

Walls of Destruction

God’s Harvest

Day of Judgment

Life

Creation

Life Springs Up

It’s Not a Fantasy

Crossing the Line

Fulfill Your End

Given a Purpose

A Calling

The Past Is for Lessons

A True Celebration

Enjoy the Arts

Sharing Is Serving

Your True Self

Travel with Water

Learn How to Speak

A Search

Destiny

Destiny Prevails

An Attempt to Change Destiny

It Is Not Man’s Design

Controlling Time and Destiny

Precognition

God and His Dominion

The Power of His Presence

The Lord’s Light

His Power

Evidence

Issues of the Heart

He Provides

The Gracious

Deliverance

The Innocent

Predator

Protection

Turn Around

Living Together

Guidance

Desperate Times

Showing Goodness

Power to Accept or to Change

Exchanging Coats

Conversion

A Longer Path

Red to Blue

Redirection

Change

Guidance from Above

Guides, Angels, and Spirits

Disguises

A Watchman

The Substitute Teacher

Guiding People Home Safely

Flaws

Security

Help from the Afterlife

Coincidences

Dreams

Messages Through Dreams

Ideas Surface in Dreams

Conversion Through Dreams

What Dreams Can Teach

Discover the Real You

Dreams that Foretell

The Deceitful

The Devil and His Unworthy Followers

Predators

False Prophets and Mystics

Wanted

Satan’s Illusions

Fool the Lord

A Trap

Being Misled

Say No

How to Reach the Devil

Rejected

Stop the Lord’s Work

The Swan

The Noose

Battles

Turn Down Evil

False Claims

My Hat’s Off

Demons in the Open

Careful Planning

Cleansing

Ridding the Dead

Love, Kindness, and Truth

An Unusual Delivery

Love Thy Enemy

Treachery

The Truth Will Set You Free

Pick Your Gate

Choices and Free Will

A Choice

The Right Side

Different Paths

How It Feels

Which Way to Head

Free Will

Trust, Hope, and Faith

Trust His Guidance

When Things Look Hopeless

A Dying Cat

Faithful and Faithless

The Jar

The Path With Christ

His Peep

The Broadcast

Marooned

Another Chance

Excuses

The Path Without Christ

Out of Gas

Doorways

Ascend Early

A Lonely Path

A Passport to God

Jesus Rising Within

Echoes Beyond

Truthful Words

Gift from God

Carrying the Spirit

He Delivers Awareness

Pray with Your Soul

Prayers

All You Need

Follow the Path

Accept the Lord

Why Do We Have Churches?

Use the Bible Daily

Joy and Happiness

Fellowship

A Gift of Joy

Truly Joyful

Wonderment

Avoid Derailment

Camouflage

Tragedies

Depression

Loneliness

Sadness

Loss

Fear and Worry

Listen to Your Body

Responsibilities

Healthy Relationships

Honor Thy Mother and Father

Disgrace the Temple

Two Are Better than One

Friendship

A Good Friend

Helping Another

Special Guidance

Respect the Poor

Molesters

Inappropriate Intimacy

Harming Others

Healing

Safeguard Your Passage

Pursuing Righteousness

Naked

Hitting God

Natural Ways

Count Your Blessings

Respect the Earth

Cruelty

Be Kind

Speak the Truth

Lord’s Name in Vain

Contempt

The Principal

Greed and Money

The Hungry Bear

Paths Can Change

Your Spiritual House

Take Responsibility

Communication

Two-Way Communication

Speak with Honor

Shutting Down

Riddles

Speaking Ineffectively

Be Clear

Silly Guidance

Felonies of Speech

Sharing Stories

Don’t Force Them

Perception

Afterlife and Heaven

Traveling to Heaven

The Ride Home

Last Message

Earthly Finality

The Bright Light

Transition

Submit Completely

Near Death

Friendly Spirits

An Escort

Ticketmaster

Confusion

The Magic Airship

Untimely Passing

Souls Attached

Bridge of Peace

United Together

Continued Communication

Marriage

Soul Mates

Traveling Mates

Natural Beauty

Loving Animals

Salvation Through Animals

Pray for Animals

Never Overlooked

Creatures Ascend

In Closing

Fully Committed

Compassion

Considerations

For My Children,

I wrote this book with you in mind. Know that worldly happiness comes in a leaky flask, but it is the Lord’s well that never runs dry. Welcome him in, and you will find joy and solace that no man, woman, or child can ever give you. Please share this book with others and see where it leads you.

Love,

Dad

Preface

Preface

A Passport to God i s for people who believe in our Lord but don’t really assume the responsibilities required of them to achieve goals set forth by him. This includes accepting the Bible as truth and living the words inscribed in it. It is also written for those who explore the n otion of whether God exists and if so, why does it matter if they know him or not.

A passport is given to individuals who wish to travel abroad. Similarly, this book is about facing the reality of transitioning to another life. Before this is done, a series of steps must be taken before anyone can enter the safety of heaven.

Man can say no to many things. However, living in oneness with God above is not something that they should decline. It is salvation, a permanent refuge they are turning down. This book describes through parables and fables numerous reasons why people should not decline his Grace.

Capable people often misunderstand concepts hidden within the framework of the Bible. Curiously, some even harbor a grudge against it. The most important part of living by the Bible is the promise one makes to God—to be loving, kind, and a true believer in him. This does not include destroying another person’s relationship with God, even if they do not conform to customs or rules set by society or religious institutions.

My opportunity to express the words of God comes through the wind around me. It is the wind of which permeates all living souls. The force behind the wind is always coming in from the window of life. It is open. It gives me guidance. Moses stated that in the beginning, this "wind from God¹ swept over the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:2, NRSV). The wind, God’s presence, will be felt by all mankind through the end. The still of the night is right for me. This time is my time for reflection. It composes me and allows me to scribe stories and to be one with our Lord. This is my role, for our Father has tasked me with this.

The collection of parables and fables is written for every family member from toddler to the eldest. Each story is followed by a brief explanation relating it to present day and many use scripture to validate the Truth. I suggest you read these with others. Talk about the stories and relate them to your present lifestyle. Here are some key questions that as you read, you may be able to answer: Since the Lord creates individuals who have capacity to love, to bring joy to others, why is it we don’t see everyone joyful? Does the body exist for housing the soul or is it just a one-time occurrence on the earth and heaven is no more than a place in a literary marvel? Who or what is causing this terrible disturbance that brings dysfunction to the world today? Many locusts plagued the world at the time Moses was fixing to leave Egypt. What would happen if a swarm came today? Would they reveal the truth that God is near, or would the locusts simply be seen as pests and man would attempt to exterminate them?

Gifts from God come down in ways not expected. Many times, people see or experience things that seem out of the ordinary. These situations are clues from God. He wants everyone to achieve their mission so that they are prepared for the next generation of events to come. Read on and learn about the workings of the Lord and think about how you can achieve your own mission without any delay in the process. See how easy it is if you follow the guidance set forth by the Bible. Gather together and start reading and enjoy these delightful stories of beings with and without souls, the devil, spiritual awareness, after-death, walking the path with the Lord, and how God fulfills the answers.

Join me in exploring why God created this domain here and above. The life and death of man is not important unless you too become one of those who live for today and build for tomorrow. Just keep focus on fulfilling your journey here on the earth. Discover how faith plays a vital part and notice how much better you feel as you work living a rich and meaningful life.

A Passport to God explores ideas that relate to the intervention of God in remarkable ways. Please humbly accept my work as it is my privilege to present this book to you. The urgency to follow through in living with the Lord in your heart and mind cannot be underscored enough. I pray you can experience the Lord and ensure yourself an opportunity to rise and be with your friends and family for eternity. Jesus is my special guide, he too can be yours if you so choose. Please join me by reading this book and give yourself up to the Lord. Godspeed and Grace be with you.

Introduction

The Christmas carol, O Come, All Ye Faithful, gladly invites all to gather around and become one with God. The union between man and God is immense. It is what will transform the earth someday, and the entirety of the planet will be filled with faithful. Meanwhile, those who remain faithful or those who rebuke the Other Side, the habitat hosted by the devil, and become faithful will be given talents that eventually will have great importance as they help reshape the world.

Common knowledge bridges the gap between people rising and people sharing their experiences while on the earth. The ones who believe recklessly that man is here to serve their own needs are calculating a solution that will never give the right answer. Certainty is probability and a lack of faith. Absoluteness is solid and is preserved by the Lord himself. Many civilized people accept the Savior as an absolute. But many also forget or ignore his presence. Those people who survive without Christ excuse themselves from the fact that life is always worth living with the world of heavenly beings attached to their hip and fail to acknowledge that the alternate world is often disguised, making up things that lead people astray. Their neglect disavows God and they lose the ability to safely leave this world.

The expressions, the Living and the Dead are synonymous for people who believe God is nothing more than a legend. For those who aspire to be held in his arms, they mean something different. There are two separate worlds, and each world has portals. Faithfulness to the Lord opens the door to the world full of life. The other world is reserved for those who care not to live. They are referred to as the the Dead and [t]hey will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might (2 Thessalonians 1:9). The Unworthy are often lost and teetering on the brink of joining the Dead. The colors red and blue represent these opposite sides. The color red serves as a reminder of an allegorical representation of Satan, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems (Revelation 12:3). The color blue is a reminder from God to Moses for him to instruct Israelites "to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner. And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the

lord

, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your eyes, which you are inclined to whore after" (Numbers 15:37–39). The blue side captures the essence of the Holy Spirit. The red side refuses to admit him into their life. Every person has the ability to reach either side by the time they finish earthly life. God-believing people know that there are choices to make as they learn to walk with God. For each choice, there is a consequence. God wants to share himself, using acts of goodness and symbolism expressed in the Bible or through mankind’s works as a point of convergence. But sealed in a tomb awaits those who chose to pass on by the land of the living.

Parables and fables are useful for all of us to find a way to reach through our own cloak and experience the Lord as he fills us with Glory. The Purple Rose is a parable that reminds us of the beauty of God and how his glory can be expressed and found through symbols.

The Purple Rose

Roses were presented to the girl wearing a pretty flowered dress. Maxie opened up her bouquet and there was exactly one purple rose, the others were red. She stood up holding the one rose of glory and said, If anyone would like these other ones, please come get them. A crowd came in, and one by one, they took a red rose. When each rose was properly handed to their rightful owner, the stage lights set high in the fly loft changed from red to pure white lighting. The guest’s red roses turned white. The only colored rose was solid blue, for this was the rose from the man standing behind her, the man she saw not until that night. Maxie’s flower symbolized eternity. She had arrived. The Lord broadcasts the light, but sometimes it is colored by another only for a short time. The light the devil makes is never permanent when it is broadcast on those choosing to wear blue. Colored roses can be recolored by beings. But the true color in nature cannot change without the help of God.

Rejection of the red is one step toward keeping a person safe. Without rejection, a safety net from God is not fully present. Acceptance of the Lord makes way for a new life of splendor. It expands the net by which a person can be caught when life changes course and unties knots, which previously bound them with choices not recognized by God. A letter to the Ephesians written by Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, while in prison or one of his disciples around AD 62 encouraged them to take a stand against the redcoats and told them to [i]n all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16).

A passport prearranged by God is there for you when and if you wish to proceed. If you choose this path, you shall need to adhere to some basic rules. Don’t ignore choices that may seem minor for as little as they may be. The end result may have serious consequences and may determine which world you will live in. Be wary, there are times when the devil through his agents makes things look appealing, yet they are clearly the wrong choices. Believe in and fully commit to God, and he will keep you from falling victim to the creatures that live in the dark. Familiarize yourself with the Bible, and you will begin living life at its fullest. Guidance is at hand when you are unsure of choices. Just ask the Lord for help, and he will hand you a blue rose. This will ensure a safe voyage upon your return.

---

¹ Or while the spirit of God or while a mighty wind

Chapter 1

A Journey

The Beginning to the End

The moment when the earth began breathing is the beginning of time for most people. However, it only represents a fraction of time that man and civilization have existed. Existence is a relative term. Form provides a shape or structure for the human soul to be encased in while on the ground. Form and soul are separate. The time of creation of the physical form happens at a different time then the formation of the soul.

When did man come and civilize the Earth? There are time periods before and will be after in which this happens. Millions of years ago, there was a time when ancient life forms, which some claim to be man, could not walk upright. Eventually, they did but unlike today’s human, their connection if any to God appeared to have provoked no links, which would have led to a sense of true morality, a divine sense of guidance with God’s words in the forefront of their actions and minds. Their morality was based on social behavior for them to stay safe in an otherwise unruly group. During this period, they belonged to the Earth, and the matter surrounding them was nothing more than for their physical existence. As ancients wandered the Earth, they left very little traces except monuments to share with the next generations. When did God reach in and penetrate the hearts and minds of man; and man received him consciously and unconsciously? This happened in the period that is important to Christians and is described in the Book of Genesis. It is a story that balances our life today with the world of tomorrow. It talks about living in the present and learning from the past.

Learn from Adam and Eve’s mistake. Don’t harvest fruit that the Lord advises against. This includes money and laundry from the devil. Take the Lord at his word. You will see turns of events, which emulate the scriptures. The one thing you should be aware of is that the dungeon master makes his presence known by standing up and claiming God-fearing people should be attacked. This presence is seen all over. The day has come when sensible discussions about life and life’s meaning are important. The reason is, we must encounter something unique that is referred to in the Bible. We shall see man undertaking a new beginning. The end of life as you know it draws ever closer. Judgment is not just a word. Remember, all man will be judged, but only those who kept their word will retain life in heaven. Once the Lord determines all people’s fate, he will begin the purge.

Early Beings

Hairy people came from apes, said the man to his boy. The boy looked at his father, his beard so long he could not see his father’s hairy chest but could see long strands of dark hair coming from underneath the collar of his shirt.

One day, the boy started to see hair near his Adam’s apple, in his armpit, and down below where he holds on to his private part. He said to himself, I think I must have come from apes. He went to school and sat in his chair. After the teacher called the class to order, the boy raised his hand. He told his classmates that he had proof he was part ape. Many knew he was going through puberty and just stared at him. Others thought he was telling them something important.

The teacher called the class to order and explained to them the rules for talking. She told the class that he was going through the change when a boy turns into a man. She said that humans did not evolve from apes. She then turned to the boy and said, I think your father was teasing you.

Man did not evolve from apes or other manlike creatures. When ancient manlike creatures existed, they had hair all over their body. They sported manes and long tuffs around the body for preventing cuts from happening and for keeping bugs and debris from landing on their skin. They were given tools to work with and learned how to build using material from the earth. They did not hesitate to kill or to use weapons. They were destructive. For them to survive, they needed to beat back their rivals. Many lacked words and cared not to give to others. That was early times. Then came the day when God cleansed the earth. Beings on earth were created anew. Man and ancient man were separated by space and time and were not related other than the Lord gave both life.

Man was designed and distinctly different than the early manlike creatures. Their ability to sense other beings inward feelings and feel compassion was greater, and thus they were able to serve mankind and gifts of nature better.

When the Lord created this civilization, he formed a binding relationship with man and the Holy Spirit. This relationship is built to stand and is with you and every person alive today. This is not something that occurred previous to Adam and Eve.

Ancient Times

Tear down the wall, said the man from Berlin aloud. He placed himself in front of the old wall and tore it down. He thought it could cave in and injure a child if they were to push on it when they passed it on the way to the bridge leading to their school.

One day, the school master encountered him and said, The wall was ancient and made by a civilization that built strong pieces that no man today should topple over. The school master said this in a way to make the man from Berlin think.

The man from Berlin said to himself, I