FREE TOWN, Clarendon:
THE MIRACLE Tabernacle Free Town Church of God of Prophecy in Clarendon celebrated the beginning of Child Month last Sunday in a very special way.
The service was all about children - the message, the participation and there was even a call for all present to be anointed with olive oil, with a special prayer of protection being prayed over them.
In her message, Pastor Zebulah Aiken made a fiery call for the Church to start being more proactive in protecting the children.
She said there is a demon of darkness taking over the land seeking the young blood of our children.
"This generation ... the devil wants to take it out. The devil is trying to kill all our young people," she said.
In her message, she made analogies to the many biblical characters who were protected from a very young age. Pastor Aiken said it's time for believers eyes to be opened and for them to realise that our children are under threat and it is the Church's duty to rescue them.
"Children can't fulfil their purpose because their lives are being cut short," she said.
Pastor Aiken also had a word of warning for parents who use words to belittle their children, telling them that they will never amount to anything.
"Whatever you speak over your child always stays. You have got to speak positive energy over your children ... speak life into them," she said.
According to Pastor Aiken, it is time to catch the young ones, give them the chance to worship and let the Church have an impact on them early.
"Make sure we keep them in the house of God because they are the chosen generation. If the Church don't reach this generation now, then the next generation will be harder to win, because they are guided by unbelieving leaders," she said.
Pastor Aiken also warned against using a child's circumstances against them, but instead suggested they be loved and encouraged to excel.
"Children who are products of rape or (whose) father is a murderer, pray for them, don't curse them or throw the conditions of their birth in their faces, because they are children of God. We have to take care of our children."
The female pastor also said it time now for crusades to be geared at children and young adults.