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Please, Sorry, Thanks


The best predictor of success in life, in love, and in leadership is your proficiency at please, sorry, and thanks. Those three words are the foundation of all healthy relationships and successful careers. Those three words are the only ceiling on achieving your dreams. Words become worlds, so you can change your world just by changing your words.


Please, Sorry, Thanks

April 16, 2023

Speaker: Pastor Mark Batterson

Scripture: Proverbs 18:21, Genesis 1:1, Genesis 1:28, John 1:1,3, Deuteronomy 30:11-14

Sermon Overview: The best predictor of success in life, in love, and in leadership is your

proficiency at please, sorry, and thanks. Those three words are the foundation of all healthy

relationships and successful careers. Those three words are the only ceiling on achieving your

dreams. Words become worlds, so you can change your world just by changing your words.

Sermon Series Questions:

1. Homework from Pastor Mark: Memorize five promises of God. Use these five promises to

change your mental outlook and the words you are prophesying over your life.

2. How has God used His Word to change the world you live in?

Sermon-Specific Questions:

1. The Book of Proverbs says the power of life and death are in the tongue (Prov 18:21).

What does this Scripture mean? How can your words affect your attitude and perspective

today? How did they affect your attitude and perspective over the past week?

2. In Exodus 4, Moses told God that he could not speak properly. What was God’s response?

What was God’s promise to Moses? Has God put a task or a dream on your heart? How

have you responded to God? What is God’s promise to you? Speak that promise aloud.

3. Because Jesus has risen from the dead, all things are possible with God. What are you

afraid to believe is possible in your life? Believe again. What words have you been using

to counter this dream? What do you need to stop saying? What do you need to start

saying to get in agreement with God’s promises?

Digging Deeper:

● Compare Exodus 4, Jeremiah 1, and Joshua 1. What are the instructions that God gives to

Moses, Jeremiah, and Joshua? How are they similar/different? What are the promises that

God gives to these men? Spend some time reflecting on these promises. What measure

of faith rises up in your spirit in response to these promises?

Practical Application:

● God’s Word creates and blesses. Pray Numbers 6:24-26 over someone else this week.

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○ Lord, thank you for making us a part of your Kingdom as royal priests. Please bring

people in my path whom you want me to speak life over.

○ May the Lord bless you and keep you; may the Lord make His face to shine upon

you and be gracious to you; may the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and

give you peace. Amen.

● Download the NCC app or visit ncc.re/daily to listen to short, daily teachings M-F

accompanying this series.

● Make a Bible reading plan a daily discipline and connect with NCC Daily. (Download the

NCC app to find our plan).

● Check out our upcoming May pop-up groups on our website. They are all listed at



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