1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Be a "bad to the bone" wild rebel for the LORD!, February 20, 2008
This review is from: Bad to the Bone: Fifteen Young Bible Heroes Who Lived Radical Lives for God (Paperback)
Why name a Christian book after George Thorogood's goofy rock song about wild living? Because being rebellious is godly as long as you're rebelling against the right things; that is, against the WRONG things.
God's how-to-manual, the Bible, is filled with people who lived wild lives -- for God. They threw caution to the wind and allowed the LORD to use them powerfully and supernaturally. They were godly rebels who rebelled against evil and worldliness. They were "bad to the bone" -- radically committed to God all the way down to the bone.
Today, God is still looking for those who will boldly "sell out" to Him ~ 2 Chronicles 16:9.
Miles McPherson's book examines 15 Bible heroes who lived radical lives for the LORD and asks these questions of the reader: Are you radically committed to the LORD? Are you loyal to Him? Do you say 'No' to sinful ways or distractions? Do the words 'No Fear' describe you?
If so, that's great; if not, what's holding you back?
Here's a smattering of the Bible characters mentioned in the book and the qualities that made them "bad to the bone" for the LORD:
-- Josiah became king of Judah (the southern kingdom of Israel) when he was very young and started seeking the LORD at the age of 16 ~ 2 Chronicles 34:2-3. What's strange is that the two previous kings had set a bad example for him ('bad' as in evil). This didn't stop Josiah from getting fired-up for God and implementing numerous positive reforms in the nation. How about you? Do you seek God, pray, read the Bible, attend church, serve with your gifts, etc. without being told or coerced, like Josiah?
-- Daniel refused to be defiled by the king of Babylon's royal food and insisted on living on vegetables and water ~ Daniel 1. How about you? Do you refuse to be defiled by worldliness and worldly distractions and eat your spiritual vegetables? It takes DISCIPLINE to be a serious disciple of Christ.
-- Don't be a fool like Manasseh who rejected the godly example of his spiritual mentors and became one of Israel's most wicked kings ~ 2 Chronicles 33. In other words, just because you have righteous and loving friends, parents, relatives or teachers doesn't automatically guarantee that you'll be godly. If you're determined to be a knucklehead like Manasseh, that's what you'll be. After a lifetime of evil Manasseh ultimately repented, but only after being dragged to Assyria in shackles and thrown into a smelly dungeon. That's great, but there's still a strong hint of folly -- Manasseh was the type of person that would only turn to God after severe tragedy hit. Don't be like that. Serve God wholeheartedly when everything's peaches and cream.
-- The day shepherd boy David offered to fight the intimidating hulk Goliath he told King Saul, "I USED to keep my father's sheep" ~ 1 Samuel 17:34-36. The thing is, he was tending his sheep that very day! In other words, David recognized the opportunity to fight Goliath as a huge turning point in his life. It was the day he would stop being a shepherd boy and become a mighty giant-slaying warrior! What habit, sin or distraction do you need to get beyond in order to mature into the courageous giant-killer like David? God is calling you to slay some giants in your life (past or present) so that you can begin to follow Him into the future and fulfill His call.
-- Be humble like Mary. God "opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" ~ 1 Peter 5:5. In other words, God only works with and through those who are humble. Humility is simply an attitude of lowliness; it means you don't think you're all that and a bag of chips. It doesn't mean you think you're a worm groveling on the ground; that's a perversion of humility and a mindset one-step away from the looney bin. Humility is a beautiful quality. It simply means you understand and accept reality, that is, in the grand scheme of things you're actually quite small. Which is why the Bible describes people as a "mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" ~ James 4:14. The good news is that God has an important part for you to play in His plan for the ages. Such was the case with both Moses and Mary. The Bible says that Moses was the most humble man on the face of the earth when he delivered the Israelites from Egypt ~ Numbers 12:3. But it took him until the age of 80 to develop the level of humility God required! Don't wait until your 80 years old like Moses to develop humility and be used powerfully of God. Develop such humility in your teens like Mary.
-- Be boldly defiant against evil and peer pressure like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (I once heard Miles refer to them as "Shadrach, Meshach and A Bad Negro" -- LOL!) (Miles is black, by the way). King Nebuchadnezzar commanded the 3 Hebrews to bow to a 90-foot gold idol at the threat of being thrown into a blazing furnace ~ Daniel 3. They refused and confessed faith that God would save them if they were thrown into the fiery furnace; they added, "But EVEN IF HE DOESN'T we're still not going to bow down your idol." Do you detect a bit of a bratty defiance against evil in those words?
-- Likewise, young Jether refused to draw his sword and kill the two Midianite kings at the command of his father Gideon and the peer pressure of the troops of Israel ~ Judges 8:20. He was just too young for such an act. He refused even though commanded by his father, the leader of Israel. He refused even though the rough-hewn troops would likely ridicule him as a "wimply girly boy." If young Jether can say 'No' against such pressure you can certainly say 'no' to those who try to control you and coerce you into doing things you know in your spirit aren't right. You can also say 'No' to your own worst enemy -- your flesh!
-- Regard sexual purity and consecration to God as a thing of honor as Rebekah ~ Genesis 24:16. Rebekah was clearly beautiful for any observer to see. She wore robes signifying her virginity. Sexual purity was a thing of honor to her. She didn't flaunt her beauty cheaply like, say, Shakira. Has God blessed you with good looks and charisma? Use them for your Heavenly Father's glory and the advancement of His Kingdom.
-- Focus on the good things in your life, not the bad, like Timothy. The Scriptures show that Timothy had a believing mother and grandmother, but that his father was a non-believer. This obviously means that his father was incapable of mentoring him in a spiritual sense. But Timothy didn't focus on the negative. He received and learned from his mother and grandmother, as well as his spiritul father the apostle Paul. We've all been "dealt a hand" with our lives. There's some good and some bad; sometimes more bad than good. Don't focus on the negative and become a bitter, unproductive loser like too many people I care to mention. Open your eyes and focus on the good. God has (or will) grant you 'golden connections.' Look for them and receive from them like Timothy. And you'll be blessed in life, as well a blessing to others!
CONCLUSION: Don't be a nominal Christian -- someone who's a Christian in name only, someone who has the veneer of Christianity but not the heart. Jesus Christ said that if we're lukewarm he'll spit us out of his mouth ~ Revelation 3:15-16. I realize that's a radical word and a far cry from the ultra-gentle, tolerant Jesus we've all heard about, but we have to be BALANCED with what the Scriptures say about the Lord. The Lord reveals Himself in different ways to different people according to their spiritual-growth level and their present needs. And the Laodicean Christians whom Jesus was referring to in the text cited above needed a bold word of correction. Is the Lord speaking similarly to you?
The bottom line is: Be a radically committed "bad to the bone" servant of the Most High God! If you do this, I guarantee you the Lord will never threaten to spit you out of His mouth!
Two things about the book: It's obviously geared to young people, teens to mid-twenties, but you can be any age and get a whole lot out of it. So don't let that turn you away if you're older. Secondly, it's formatted as a 13-week study, but you don't necessarily have to read it according to that overlong schedule. I never follow these types of timelines in books. Why do authors do that? I took my time and read "Bad to the Bone" in a week.
Since some sellers are selling "Bad to the Bone" for the ridiculously low price of a penney, make sure you snatch it up if it sounds like your cup of java!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
