Forty Brave Soldiers for Christ

This was on the inside flap of my church's bulletin this past Sunday - it is from Voice of the Martyrs...

Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire in A.D. 320.  However, Licinius, who controlled the Eastern half of the empire, broke allegiance with the West and continued to suppress Christianity.  When Licinius demanded that every soldier under his command sacrifice to the Roman gods, the forty Christian men of the "Thundering Legion" refused.  Their general, Lysias, had them whipped, torn with hooks, and then imprisoned in chains.  When they still refused to bow down and give up their worship of God, he ordered them stripped of their clothing and left in the middle of a frozen lake until they relented.  A warm bath was poured for any who would give up their convictions.  The men prayed together that their number would not be broken.  However, as it grew dark, one could not bear the cold any longer and ran to the warm bath.  One of the guards who had watched the forty brave soldiers sing to Christ became angry that one would give in to Lysias's orders.  His anger turned to conviction, and then his conviction turned to faith.  He tore off his clothes and ran out into the icy lake, fulfilling their promise to be "forty brave soldiers for Christ!"  The forty died together that day.  How about you?  Are you willing to take a stand for Christ at work, in your home, around your friends?  Today we take a look at some critical decisions Daniel made that could have cost him his life.  Unwavering, he was willing to lay it all on the line for God.  What creates this level of commitment and dedication?  Does your faith run that deep?  Put on the full armor and fight the fight.