The Second Book of Esdras

How the Bible was canonized is not clear.  Apparently it was canonized in several phases over several years.  Why 39 plus 27 books?  Why not 70 books or 76 books? See https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/who-decided-what-went-into-the-bible.html

In particular, which apocalyptic books to include was even harder to imagine.  Why the Book of Revelation was included in the New Testament?  Why the Second Book of Esdras was included only in the Apocrypha?

2 Esdras tells us many interesting things about the End of the Age.  It answers many questions which we ourselves would ask:

Here are some excerpts:

"Please tell me," I asked "do you think I will live until that time (the end of Age)? If not, who will be alive when it happens?"
He answered "I can tell you some of the signs of the end, if that is what you are asking;  but I am not here to tell you how long you will live, and in any case, I don't know.
"But these are the signs:  The time will come when all people on earth will be in the grip of great confusion.  The way of truth will be hidden, and no faith will be left in the land.  Wickedness will increase until it has become worse than you have ever known it to be.  The country that you now see ruling the world will lie in ruins with no inhabitant or traveler there...
I replied.  "But couldn't you have created all human beings, those of the past, the present, and the future, so that they would all live at the same time?...
He answered, "The creation cannot move faster than the Creator.  And besides, the world wouldn't have been able to hold all the people if everyone had been created at the same time."...

For more interesting conversations, read all the 7 visions of Esdras.

No, Prayers are not answered all the time.

Priests and pastors have been telling people why prayers are not answered.  So far, I have not heard a truly good explanation.

"All prayers will be answered if they are prayed according to God's will".  Are they?

I note 2 obvious scenarios where, even if the prayers are 'according to God's will', they are not answered.

1) Even if it is according to God's will, if sinful humans mess up, the prayers will not be answered. For example, at every weekly mass, devout Catholics pray for their pope, bishops, priests and religious.  Yet in some countries, the church is filled with some priests who are also paedophiles.  Yes, prayers by devout Catholics for God's blessings on their church leaders are according to God's will.  But God would not answer these prayers to bless the sinful ones.

2) Even if it is according to God's will, if Nature mess up, the prayers will not be answered.  For example, Christians pray for peace all the time.  They prayed for safety when a disaster, could be a hurricane or a typhoon, was expected.  The disaster did come, and many people perished.  Surely it is according to God's will for His people to live safety.  But God also allowed Nature to exercise its freewill.  God would not go against the fury of Nature most of the time. Hence the prayers of the devout were again not answered.

I must add that, God being all-mighty, could of course override the sinfulness of men or the fury of Nature, and answer all prayers for peace and for well-being.  But usually He allows the free-will of men and Nature to prevail.  However, once in a while, He may do otherwise.  We do not know when.  It is a mystery.

1 Samuel Chapter 1: Godly Assurance. Hannah's joy.

"Go in peace." Eli said, "and may the God of Israel give you what you have asked him for." 1Sam 1:17.

If we believe in God, and we pray to God, then why we are still anxious after we pray?

It's because we do not know whether God agree with our prayer.  We are not sure.

Once we are assured that we are praying according to God's will, we will not be anxious anymore.

That was what happened to Hannah.  She was deeply distressed and prayed for a son.  The priest Eli assured her that "God give you what you have asked Him for".  Assured, she went away, no longer sad.

If we are not assured, we will remain miserable and anxious.  So how and where to find God's assurance?

Well.  Know God.  Read the Bible.  The answer is there.  The Holy Spirit speaks through the written words.