Daniel

This is a really big, and heavy, book.  Together with Revelation, this is one of two books of apocalyptic literature in the Bible, focusing on the future, and the end times.

I once spent 12 weeks doing a course on the book of Daniel, and I think we only began to scrape the surface.  

But in addition to Daniel's visions of giant statues and fearsome beasts, the book also gives us some awesome real-life stories of faithfulness.  Two of the best know stories revolve around Daniel being thrown into the Lion's den, and his three friends being thrown into a giant furnace.

The common theme was that even though God saved them, they did not know he was going to... and they were prepared to lose their live rather than deny their faith in God, or do something that went against their beliefs.  Daniel refused to stop praying to God, and the three friends refused to bow down and worship an idol; even though in both cases this was a death sentence.

DANIEL
Steadfast and constant.
Through fire and beast they stand -
And God stands with them.

Daniel prayed three times a day, even though it would cost him his life.

The three friends chose to follow God's laws when they conflicted with the law of the land.

Being faithful in prayer, and following God's law, will (probably) cost us a lot less, but do we do it as faithfully as these Old Testament heroes?