How much work goes into writing songs?

It's a craft. As Christians we need to try harder as Christians becuase we serve a higher calling. If God gave you a song that's great and between you and God. But I beg you to question it and not use it as an excuse. Many people have done so and I believe gave us a bad impression to other writers and music folks. We need to go the extra mile. We represent God. He deserves our best. Not our excuses. If He gave us a song then we owe it to Him to do all we can with it. Work on our playing (guitar etc.) and singing and get out there and share that song. Again, He deserves our best. Not that He needs it. He deserves it. We want to hear "well done my good and faithfull sevant" right?

Let me say again that I am sure God can do anything He wants. If you feel He gave you something go for it. But that comes with a duty also.

Deuteronomy 32:4
He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

What did Paul tell Timothy?

2 Timothy 2:15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Ezra 7:10
For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD , and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.

Ecclesiastes 1:13
I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men!

If you think God gave you a song that's great. Maybe someone tells you they got one given to them. Great. But do you believe it and go with whatever it says? I haven't heard a pastor say that God spoke with him and every sermon he gives from now on is all from God. But if I did I might run out the door. God's word says to test these things not to just say OK.

1 Corinthians 10:9
We should not test the Lord, as some of them did and were killed by snakes.

2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you–unless, of course, you fail the test?

Galatians 6:4
Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else.

1 Timothy 3:10
They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

Romans 16:10
Greet Apelles, tested and approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.

Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.

1 John 4:1Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

1 Thessalonians 5
21Test everything. Hold on to the good.

Notice this verse:

1 Corinthians 12:28
And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.

So here's my question, does appointed mean they are also given all the information they need? Or are they given the desire, the longing, and the inspiration, the leading to do these things. All this also includes the duty to work at it?

Remember this verse:

Matthew 25:16
The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more.

Why was the one who was given one talent scolded in the end? He was given something and sat on it not doing anything with it. The others all took what was given to them and WORKED to produce MORE with it.

Are we sitting on God's inspiration or are we WORKING to do more with what He gave/inspired/prompted/led in us? God gave me this song, it's fine and it's done. 5 minute wonder. Or I feel God inspired this in me and this makes me work even harder with it to do ALL I can with it to glorify HIM. :-)

Proverbs 14:23
All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.

Proverbs 18: 9 One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.

"caps mine"

Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, WORK AT IT WITH ALL YOUR HEART, as working for the Lord, not for men,

2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brothers, good­by. AIM FOR PERFECTION, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

Philippians 3:12
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

I do believe that songwriting groups like www.christiansongwriting.org and www.writingsongs.com can be good for the songwriter. You can jump into a group full of writers like yourself and share, learn and grow with each other. It's helped me for sure. As proverbs says:

Proverbs 27
17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

If you have thoughts about this, I encourage you to pray over them and dig into the Bible and find verses that will back up your stance on the matter. It won't matter what I think, but what you think and how you and god deal with that. I just encourage you to be scripturally grounded in your thoughts and to smother them with prayer. Christians may not always agree. It's how we disagree that shows our true self.

C-ya in Heaven.

God bless,
Dave