Leviticus 18–27: Jubilee, redemption, and a worth no debt can define

What would change if your worth wasn’t measured by your bank balance, your paycheck, or how much you got done today? So many faithful Christians quietly carry a price tag on their hearts, and Leviticus has surprisingly good news for anyone who feels like a number.

In this final episode of our Leviticus series, we discover how holiness reaches all the way into our wallets and workplaces, why God put rest first on His calendar, and how the oil for the lamp and the frankincense beside the bread of the Presence remind us that every one of God’s people has a place at His table.

Then we celebrate the Year of Jubilee, when every debt lost its grip, and explore the beautiful Hebrew word ga’al, “to redeem.” Jesus is our Kinsman-Redeemer, who bought us back not with silver or gold but with His own precious blood. Your debts may be real, but they don’t define you. You can walk with your head held high.

In this episode:

0:00 When worth becomes a number
1:24 Prayer, peace, and a reset
2:48 Holiness meets money and work
4:11 Holiness at the workbench and the marketplace
5:28 Sabbath rest and level ground
7:27 Oil for the lamp, frankincense for the bread
8:24 Jubilee freedom and the Redeemer
9:13 Hebrew word study: ga’al, “redeem”
11:14 Walking with your head held high
12:11 A sticky note reminder
13:35 Printable study and final encouragement
14:18 Closing thoughts and next steps

Go deeper: Grab the companion printable Bible study and step-by-step leader’s guide at PaulaBehrens.com/store in the “Printable Resources” section.

Read the companion blog post: What a 3,000-Year-Old Law Says About Your Relationship with Money at PaulaBehrens.com/blog

Join me live: Find dates and register for my free Zoom classes, Prayer, Peace, and Your Nervous System and Anointing Oils of Scripture, at PaulaBehrens.com/events

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Leviticus 11–17: Guilt, release, and the God who carries our burdens away

You’ve confessed something to God, meant it with your whole heart, and still woken up the next morning feeling heavy. We know we’re forgiven, but our bodies and emotions keep replaying the weight. In this episode, I walk through Leviticus 11–17 and show why these “easy to skip” chapters hold a powerful, tender picture of what God does with guilt, shame, and the burdens we’ve learned to manage instead of release.

We talk about the difference between being unclean and being sinful, why God’s nearness is central to these laws, and why uncleanness was never meant to be permanent. Then we slow down over one of the most hope-filled scenes in Leviticus: the priest going outside the camp to meet the one who has been separated, the released bird as a living sign of restoration, and the stunning truth that God doesn’t just let someone return. He marks them as His own.

At the heart is the Day of Atonement and the origin of the scapegoat, where sin is named out loud and then carried away to a place no one goes looking for again. We trace the Hebrew word taher (“clean”) and its Greek partner katharizō all the way to Jesus’ own words: “I am willing. Be clean.” Finally, we bring it home with a simple, practical step for this week to help your heart and nervous system settle into what Christ has already done.

In this episode:
0:00 When forgiven still feels heavy
0:49 Peaceful prayer and nervous system reset
3:19 The burdens we learn to manage
4:35 Clean and unclean is not sin
6:26 Healing outside the camp
8:35 The Day of Atonement story
11:00 From taher to Jesus making clean
12:40 Blood atonement as God’s gift
13:44 How freedom lands in real life
15:07 A simple practice for this week
16:07 Printable study resource and closing

Go deeper: Grab the companion printable Bible study and step-by-step leader’s guide at PaulaBehrens.com/store in the “Printable Resources” section.

Read the companion blog post: The Difference Between Coping and Actually Being Free

Join me live: Find dates and register for my free Zoom classes, Prayer, Peace, and Your Nervous System and Anointing Oils of Scripture, at PaulaBehrens.com/events

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Healing Oils of the Bible | Course: PaulaBehrens.com/healing-oils

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Free Revelation (Part 1) printable study: PaulaBehrens.com/free-revelation-1

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Prayer can feel brutal when you're doing everything "right" and still feel like your words hit the ceiling. I've met so many faithful Christians who keep serving, keep showing up, and keep caring for everyone else, yet quietly wonder why God feels silent. That tension is exactly why we open Leviticus, a book many people avoid, and discover that it begins with a simple, steady truth: God calls first, and the invitation is to come near.

Read the companion blog post here: If God Invites You Close... What Does Holiness Mean? - PaulaBehrens.com/blog

I talk through the offerings not as weird ancient trivia, but as a picture of spiritual access for real human seasons: gratitude, surrender, celebration, regret, and grief. We slow down on the word qorban, often translated "offering," and trace how its root idea is coming near to God. Then we connect it to the gospel, because Hebrews says we can draw near with confidence through Jesus. You don't have to bring something impressive to get God's attention back. The most important sacrifice has already been made.

We also look at the priests who waited seven days at the door of the tent before serving, Aaron's silence in the face of grief, and the daily fire that rose to God as a pleasing aroma, a beautiful picture of how ordinary faithfulness keeps us close to Him.

Leviticus 1-10: Sacrifice, the Priesthood, and Drawing Near to God

Go deeper with the companion printable Bible study and step-by-step leader's guide at PaulaBehrens.com/store in the "Printable Resources" section.

Join me for my free live Zoom classes, Prayer, Peace, and Your Nervous System and Anointing Oils of Scripture. Find upcoming dates and register at PaulaBehrens.com/events

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Healing Oils of the Bible | Course: PaulaBehrens.com/healing-oils

Weekly Biblical Encouragement Tips: PaulaBehrens.com/insider-list

Free Revelation (Part 1) printable study: PaulaBehrens.com/free-revelation-1

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Find the full episode here >>> PaulaBehrens.com/blog the companion printable resource here: PaulaBehrens.com/store

Before we get started, let me tell you about an upcoming event, Anointing Oils of Scripture, a live Zoom class where we walk through the actual plants and oils mentioned throughout the Bible, including the very ones we're about to talk about today, and how you can incorporate that same ancient practice into your own walk with God. Register here: PaulaBehrens.com/events

Have you ever watched an old pattern take over right after a moment of real closeness with God? You prayed, you meant every word, and then fear or the need for reassurance pulled you right back into what you thought you had left behind.

That’s the painfully familiar moment we meet in this episode. Israel has seen God’s rescue and promised to follow Him. Yet while Moses is on the mountain, they make a golden calf. If your own feelings can change that quickly—or prayer has felt dry since a choice you regret—this part of Exodus holds more hope than you might expect.

We’ll talk about what God’s instructions for the tabernacle reveal about His desire to dwell among His people, and why the holy anointing oil and incense were set apart for worship. We’ll also trace the meaning of anointing toward Jesus and consider what it means for ordinary believers to belong to Him. Along the way, we’ll explore how aroma, prayer, and simple devotional rhythms can help us pause and turn our attention back to God, without treating any of them as a shortcut to His presence.

Exodus ends with the glory of the Lord filling the tabernacle. Their failure was real, but it was not the end of the story. If you need that biblical encouragement today, come listen—and share this episode with a friend who does, too.

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Healing Oils of the Bible | Course: PaulaBehrens.com/healing-oils

Weekly Biblical Encouragement Tips: PaulaBehrens.com/insider-list

Free Revelation (Part 1) printable study: PaulaBehrens.com/free-revelation-1

Bold Faith Bundle for new Christians | Printables: PaulaBehrens.com/bold-faith

In the Word — 24 free messages: PaulaBehrens.com/in-the-word

Free 15-Minute Discovery Consult: PaulaBehrens.com/#discoverycall

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Find the full episode here >>> PaulaBehrens.com/blog the companion printable resource here: PaulaBehrens.com/store

Rules can feel like the opposite of freedom, especially when you’re tired, burned out, or quietly wondering why following Jesus sometimes feels heavy. In today’s Bible study companion episode, we head to Mount Sinai and slow down long enough to notice the detail many of us miss in Exodus: God doesn’t begin with a list. He begins with rescue, relationship, and biblical encouragement. He reminds Israel who they are before He tells them what to do.

We walk through Israel’s arrival at the mountain, the terrifying beauty of God’s holiness, and the purpose of the boundaries He sets. Then we trace the opening of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 and hear it the way Scripture intends: every command is anchored to an act of deliverance that already happened. That shift can reshape how you think about emotions, obedience, devotions, and the daily struggle between what you are feeling and what is true. God’s commands were never a ladder to reach Him. They are guardrails for a people He has already brought near.

We also explore the often-skipped Book of the Covenant and how God’s heart shows up in practical justice for ordinary life, from property disputes to caring for the vulnerable. Finally, we sit with Exodus 24 and the blood covenant that binds God and His people, then follow that covenant thread into the New Testament as it points to Jesus as our mediator and the new covenant in His blood.

If you enjoy faith-rooted conversations that connect Scripture to real life, emotions, and spiritual formation, this episode will meet you there. And if practices like aroma freedom, essential oils, or simple sensory rhythms have helped you slow down and listen in God’s presence, you’ll hear resonant themes here too, even as the focus stays anchored in the Word.

If this episode changes the way you think about the Ten Commandments, share it with a friend, subscribe for the rest of the series, and leave a review so more listeners can find this space for biblical encouragement.

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The Story of Oils in Scripture | Class: PaulaBehrens.com/oils-in-scripture

Healing Oils of the Bible | Course: PaulaBehrens.com/healing-oils

Weekly Biblical Encouragement Tips: PaulaBehrens.com/insider-list

Free Revelation (Part 1) printable study: PaulaBehrens.com/free-revelation-1

Bold Faith Bundle for new Christians | Printables: PaulaBehrens.com/bold-faith

In the Word — 24 free messages: PaulaBehrens.com/in-the-word

Free 15-Minute Discovery Consult: PaulaBehrens.com/#discoverycall

Faith Membership Club | Through-the-Bible: PaulaBehrens.com/bible

The Store: PaulaBehrens.com/store

Find the full episode here >>> PaulaBehrens.com/blog the companion printable resource here: PaulaBehrens.com/store

The Red Sea closes, the enemy is gone, and freedom finally feels real… until the next morning when you’re still hungry, still tired, and still unsure how you’re going to make it. That “after the miracle” moment is where a lot of us get confused, and it’s exactly where Exodus gets painfully practical. We pick up part two of our Exodus study to talk about the wilderness season that follows breakthrough and why it may be God’s classroom, not God’s punishment.

We walk through manna as daily provision, including God’s specific instruction to gather only what you need for today. We slow down over the sixth-day exception where the double portion doesn’t spoil, and we connect the dots between trusting God for daily bread and trusting Him enough to rest. We also dig into the meaning of manna and why the New Testament keeps that word as Jesus points back to it in John 6, calling Himself the true bread from heaven.

Then the crises keep coming: no water, a sudden battle, and a leader on the edge. We talk about water from the rock, Moses needing Aaron and Hur to hold up his arms, and Jethro’s wise counsel that delegation is not weakness but stewardship. If you’re spiritually dry, overwhelmed, or trying to hold everything together alone, this is a gentle invitation to trust God again today. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find biblical encouragement when they need it most.

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YOUR NEXT STEP:

*Accept Jesus into your heart*

Also available:

Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour: PaulaBehrens.com/coaching

The Story of Oils in Scripture | Class: PaulaBehrens.com/oils-in-scripture

Healing Oils of the Bible | Course: PaulaBehrens.com/healing-oils

Weekly Biblical Encouragement Tips: PaulaBehrens.com/insider-list

Free Revelation (Part 1) printable study: PaulaBehrens.com/free-revelation-1

Bold Faith Bundle for new Christians | Printables: PaulaBehrens.com/bold-faith

In the Word — 24 free messages: PaulaBehrens.com/in-the-word

Free 15-Minute Discovery Consult: PaulaBehrens.com/#discoverycall

Faith Membership Club | Through-the-Bible: PaulaBehrens.com/bible

The Store: PaulaBehrens.com/store

Find the full episode here: LivingOnPurposeInChrist.com/blog and the companion printable resource here): PaulaBehrens.com/store

If you’ve been praying for change and nothing is moving, Exodus offers a steadier truth than quick fixes: God is working before you can see it. In part one of this four-part Bible study series through the book of Exodus, we begin where so many of us live: in the stuck place. When Israel groans under oppression, Scripture gives us four powerful reminders that reframe waiting: God heard, remembered, looked, and knew. Even when your circumstances feel frozen and your emotions feel heavy, heaven is not still.

We also follow Moses from anonymity to calling, and we talk honestly about the fears and feelings that surface when God asks you to step out. Moses questions his worth, his ability, and his words, and God answers by revealing His own name and presence. Along the way, this episode offers biblical encouragement for those moments when obedience feels costly and uncertain.

Then we zoom out to the plagues as more than ancient drama: a direct confrontation between the one true God and the false gods people trust when they’re afraid. And yes, we name the part nobody wants to admit: sometimes the promise shows up and life gets harder before it gets better.

From Passover to the Red Sea, we trace the rescue thread that points to Jesus. We linger on hyssop, the small plant used to apply the blood in Exodus, echoed in Psalm 51’s prayer for cleansing and appearing again at the cross. We also unpack the meaning of salvation as being pulled from a tight place into wide open space, and why “stand still” can be one of the bravest acts of faith.

If you love Bible study, devotions, and Spirit-led conversations about faith, emotions, and aroma freedom, this episode will meet you with truth and hope. And if you are someone who also appreciates gentle tools like essential oils as part of creating sacred space with God, you’ll find this conversation especially meaningful.

If you want to go deeper, grab the printable companion Bible study. And if this message meets you right where you are, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find hope.

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YOUR NEXT STEP:

*Accept Jesus into your heart*

Also available:

Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour: PaulaBehrens.com/coaching1

The Story of Oils in Scripture | Class: PaulaBehrens.com/oils-in-scripture

Healing Oils of the Bible | Course: PaulaBehrens.com/healing-oils

Weekly Biblical Encouragement Tips: PaulaBehrens.com/insider-list

Free Revelation (Part 1) printable study: PaulaBehrens.com/free-revelation-1

Bold Faith Bundle for new Christians | Printables: PaulaBehrens.com/bold-faith

In the Word — 24 free messages: PaulaBehrens.com/in-the-word

Free 15-Minute Discovery Consult: PaulaBehrens.com/#discoverycall

Faith Membership Club | Through-the-Bible: PaulaBehrens.com/bible

The Store: PaulaBehrens.com/store

Find the full episode here: LivingOnPurposeInChrist.com/blog and the companion printable resource here): PaulaBehrens.com/store

Have you ever looked at your life and thought, I did everything right and it still fell apart? If you’ve been betrayed by someone you trusted, stuck in a season of waiting, or quietly wondering whether God still sees you, Joseph’s story in Genesis hits close to home and it brings real hope without pretending the pain is small.

We wrap up our Genesis series by tracing Joseph’s path from the pit to slavery, from false accusation to prison, and finally to a sudden, shocking turnaround in Pharaoh’s court. Along the way, we talk about what it means when “the Lord was with Joseph” even when nothing looks fair, and why the long middle stretch matters. If you’re trying to hear God’s voice, make wise choices, and find peace in a confusing season, Joseph gives language for the waiting room between promise and fulfillment.

We also slow down in Genesis 50:20, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good,” and dig into the meaning behind the word “meant” as something planned and woven with intention. That thread ties Joseph back to Abraham and the covenant story of God’s providence and the preservation of His people. If you’re carrying a family wound, a delayed promise, or a setback that feels personal, this conversation will help you reframe your story with faith, clarity, and courage.

If you want to go deeper, grab the printable companion Bible study for Genesis (Part 4) at PaulaBehrens.com/store. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

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YOUR NEXT STEP:

*Accept Jesus into your heart*

Also available:

Aroma of Christ Coaching Hour: PaulaBehrens.com/coaching

The Story of Oils in Scripture | Class: PaulaBehrens.com/oils-in-scripture

Healing Oils of the Bible | Course: PaulaBehrens.com/healing-oils

Weekly Biblical Encouragement Tips: PaulaBehrens.com/insider-list

Free Revelation (Part 1) printable study: PaulaBehrens.com/free-revelation-1

Bold Faith Bundle for new Christians | Printables: PaulaBehrens.com/bold-faith

In the Word — 24 free messages: PaulaBehrens.com/in-the-word

Free 15-Minute Discovery Consult: PaulaBehrens.com/#discoverycall

Faith Membership Club | Through-the-Bible: PaulaBehrens.com/bible

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