This week, we’re continuing our message series entitled, “Spiritual Roadblocks.” It’s construction season once again in the great state of Pennsylvania. Although none of us like road construction, we all like cruising down a smooth, freshly paved and painted highway at full speed. It gives us a sense of freedom and adventure like anything is possible. We may not like construction, but we sure do love the benefits of when the job is complete!

This is much like our spiritual lives. We love to quote about the full and abundant life that Jesus promises us. We love the freedom that He grants us. We love the invincible feeling of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. We love cooperating with God as He blesses us and does the miraculous in and through our lives.

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When God decides that it’s time to do some construction in our lives, we’re not so thrilled about cooperating with Him. We don’t want to slow down or even worse, stop altogether. We’d rather be over in that other lane that is flying right on by us.

Together, we’re going to learn about some dangers that commonly exist in our lives that require God to do a little construction work in us. God desires to take care of them before these small roadblocks grow into destructive hazards. We’ll trust that just like road construction, the end result will be well worth a short season of waiting and working.

Last week, we learned about the spiritual roadblock of the world. We clarified that it isn’t the world itself that is bad, but only when we begin to worship the creation instead of the Creator. We learned from 1 John 2 more fully what we need to be cautious of when it comes to the wrong type of love for the world.

The spiritual roadblock of the world is one of the lust of the flesh. This happens when we are lead and driven by our emotions and the feelings of our flesh and not by the Spirit of God and His truth.

The spiritual roadblock of the world is one of the lust of the eyes. This happens when we long jealously for the things around us. We want that new phone, that better car, that bigger house, that close of a relationship, that opportunity for advancement, instead of longing for Jesus and all that His Kingdom offers.

The spiritual roadblock of the world is one of the pride of life. This happens when we trust in our own power, or own resources, and the stability of earthly things like my job instead of trusting wholly and completely in Jesus’ power, His resources, and His Kingdom’s stability.

This week, we’re going to learn about the spiritual roadblock of hunger. One of the things that makes the roadblock of the world so difficult is because we were made by God to crave. We were created with an inward hunger and thirst. We long to fill this void in our lives and we naturally fill it with the things of this world because they are the things that we can touch, smell, see, hear, and taste.

Throw some thickly cut bacon in the oven and just wait for the entire house to begin craving bacon. When you’re out playing a round of golf and an unexpected thunderstorm comes raging through with all of its wind, pelting rain, and chunks of hail, you crave the shelter of that nearby pavilion. When you are discontentedly single and you drive past that couple walking in the park holding hands and laughing together, you crave that kind of relationship in your own life. When your bladder is full and you hear the trickling of water, you crave a nearby restroom for relief.

When all you do is fight and yell and argue and bicker, you crave peace. When you’re at work and hear the sound of that exhaust roar past, you crave the freedom of your bike and the open road. When you’re standing around at work and all of the guys are talking about last night’s game, you crave knowledge of a sport you could care less about otherwise. When that song comes on the radio, it takes you b