Oh God! That’s one heck of a story.

The phrase “God told me to’’ is an excuse people offer for all sorts of behavior from harmless pranks to horrendous crimes. It also is the punch line for the funny tales in “God Made Me Do It: True Stories of the Worst Advice the Lord Has Ever Given His Followers’’ (Sourcebooks). Author Marc Hartzman is an advertising writer who has produced books about circus sideshow performers and bizarre items sold on eBay. In this new book, his affinity for the zany extends to an entertaining cast of characters, including Bob, who built a life-size Jesus out of toothpicks.