Isaiah 48:17 Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

Have you ever seen a movie or television show where the detective is told to “Follow the money!”? The money trail leads you to the one paying for what happened. That’s how they connected President Nixon to the Watergate break in, the money trail.

There is within the Christian community a class of detectives who use the word profit to lead those who will listen down the money trail. “If you want to know which way to go, follow the money!” See it says so right there in Isaiah 48:17! But that isn’t what God is saying, is it!

The original Hebrew usage of profit meant to ascend on high, to rise above. Another way of looking at it is your call from God. You have an end which is meant for your good. Being on the path to that end is walking in God’s will. If one comes and distracts you as to that end, it is a waste of your time, and unprofitable.

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

I think it is noteworthy that just 3 verse later in John 6, many of the disciples that heard this stopped following Jesus. Perhaps that is because they were looking for another profit.

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

I pray you profited from this word.