Patrick Morley
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Spiritually Happy Men: Habit No. 3
We live in a culture that relentlessly pushes us to think about ourselves. We look out for No. 1. What do you need to be happy? How about this new car, new relationship, new hobby, new gun, new pleasure? With so many people and so much stuff all aimed at our happiness, why are so …
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As Men, What Does God Want From Us?
Whenever a relationship or task hasn’t worked out for me, it’s because I tried to control the outcome. I can’t think of any exceptions. The lesson learned, for which I’m repeatedly enrolled in involuntary remedial training, is found in 1 Corinthians 4:2, “Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.” Notice …
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6 Habits of Spiritually Happy Men
What differentiates joyful men from the rest of the pack? In this new series, we’re going to explore six foolproof habits that set genuinely happy men apart from men who feel like lasting happiness eludes them. Easily the No. 1 factor that differentiates happy from “almost” happy men is what they decide to do with …
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What Does It Look Like to Be Faithful?
I’ve had people make promises, sometimes with tears, that they were with me in the battle for men’s souls. And then that’s the last I ever saw of them. Never heard from them again. You’ve had this happen too, so you know what I’m talking about. We know what a faithful man is, because we …
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9 Ways Any Man Can Easily Disciple a Few Other Men
Men who have been discipled but are not passing it on to other men are easily one of the biggest bottlenecks to church growth. It’s also the biggest opportunity with the greatest potential return. I can prove it, but that’s a different article. The real question is, “What can we do about it?” Most Christian …
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How God Gets Our Attention When We Get Off Track
Here’s a useful construct to remember when you, or a man you’re trying to disciple, is struggling because he got, or didn’t get, something he thought would make him happy. God has three “gracious” ways of getting our attention when we want “what He can give us” more than we want Him (the definition of …
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How to Make Big Deposits Into Your Spouse’s Emotional Bank Account
In the book The Science of Happily Ever After, the author reveals that numerous studies show about 70 percent of our daily interactions with our spouses are positive. On top of that, we each have a natural desire to share in the accomplishments, happiness, and moments of good fortune of our spouses. When we’re jazzed about …
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When You Want Salvation For Someone Who Doesn’t Want To Be Saved
Proverbs 10:24 says, “What the wicked dreads will overtake him; what the righteous desire will be granted.” But what if your desire is for the salvation of a sinful spouse, child, or close friend who doesn’t want it? What if the desire of the righteous is mercy, grace, and redemption for the wicked? When we …
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A Marriage Lesson: The Risk of ‘Encouraging’ Your Wife
Earlier this year a longtime friend of Man in the Mirror sent me this email: Remember the time you shared about your wife—“she doesn’t need to lose 20 pounds,” or something like that? Would you please share that one again? I went looking for it a while ago but somehow it’s not in my archives. …
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7 Tips to Develop Your Bible Reading
A man who became a Christian bought a Bible. He said, “Have you seen this thing?” The Bible is daunting. At roughly 770,000 words, that’s about 2,500 normal book pages—equivalent to 12 non-fiction books! Bible reading falls into that special category of things we all know are important but struggle to do, like diet and …
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Transformation Comes By Knowing God’s Will
The object of transformation is to know God’s will—“His good, pleasing, and perfect will” (Romans 12:2). Let’’ take some of the mystery out of God’s will. The chart below shows that God’s will is made up of things decreed or not decreed. God’s decrees, like His decrees to create the earth and knit you together …
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Seek a Moment of Humility Each Day
There is one thing every true believer longs for each day. That’s to be so overwhelmed by the real presence of Almighty God that we feel His life pulsating within us. Begin each day by telling God how much you need Him, how much you love Him, how much you long for His touch. Invite …
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Man Alive: 10 Ways to Really Love a Woman
Note: The following is an excerpt from Patrick Morley’s book, Man Alive. No need is more primal than to love and be loved without reservation. I’ve been married to Patsy for 39 years and I love her more today than the day we married. I mentioned this to a single female lab tech yesterday and she …
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Remember to Pray for Your Pastors
There is nothing more helpful to a pastor than having the men of the church praying for them regularly. Try at least one of these strategies to help your men lift up your pastor: For their next “semester,” ask all the small group leaders in your church to pray for your pastor whenever their groups meet. Send prayer requests …
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Break Down the Spiritual Mediocrity Mentality
Note: The following is an excerpt from Patrick Morley’s 2012 book, Man Alive. Over the last four decades, I’ve met one-on-one with thousands of men over coffee, in restaurants, in offices, online, after Bible studies, or just hanging out at the racetrack—men like you. I’ve listened to their stories. I’ve heard what they said and …