Wondrous is God's providence for the salvation of people. The Lord Jesus saw the disposition of the thoughts and heart of the pagan eunuch to accept faith in Christ, and behold, He chose His Apostle as the instrument of His grace. The Holy Spirit commands His Angel to tell Philip to go south, to the path leading from Jerusalem to Gaza, along which, unknown to Philip, the said eunuch was returning back from the holy city, who came there to worship. It is said that Philip goes and finds him. The Holy Spirit, Who works our salvation in Christ, commands us to approach and cleave to the chariot of the eunuch. A little time – the pagan is baptized, the deed is done, and Philip is transported in spirit to Azotus.

Hl. 9, art. 6. Trembling and terrified, he said (Saul): Lord, what wilt thou do me; And the Lord said to him, "Arise, and enter into the city," and it is said to thee, that it behooveth thee to do.

While the Lord is in heaven, He is at the same time on earth; therefore the vision and voice of the Lord to Saul were from heaven, and at the same time the same Lord on earth instructs Ananias how he should receive the converted Saul and what to say to him. The Lord appeared to Saul not on earth, but in heaven:

(1) Because He did ascend with the flesh to heaven without being separated from us, and we believe that He will sit in heaven at the right hand of the Father;

(2) Because the appearance from heaven is more striking than the appearance on earth.

Art. 33 and 34. The Apostle Peter found there (in Lydda) a certain man named Enea, who had been lying on his bed from eight years, who had been weakened. And Peter said to him, "Ene, Jesus Christ healeth thee, arise from thy bed. And he arose.

Such is the power of faith in the Divinity of Jesus Christ. What unity there is between the Apostle and the Lord: what Peter wants, the Lord wills; what Peter does, so is Jesus Christ: cleaving to the Lord, the Spirit is one with the Lord. This means that he who clings to the Lord is in some way omnipotent, just as the Lord is omnipotent.

Near Lydda was the city of Joppa. Tabitha's disciple Serna was there, she died after an illness; Two men are sent for Peter, he comes with them, enters the upper room, prays on his knees, and, turning to the body of the deceased, says: Tabitha, arise. The dead woman opens her eyes, sees Peter, and – where does the power come from – gets up and sits down. Peter gives her his hand and puts her on her feet. O Divine power of faith! What cannot be done with you: with you I can move mountains from place to place; With you I can command the material world and the spirits of wickedness in the heavenly places! But you are a gift of God. I must earn you from God by good deeds and by trying to gain you.

Hl. 10. On the conversion of Cornelius and his relatives and friends. How miraculously, in God's way, this conversion is arranged! An angel appears to Cornelius, praying in his house, who commands him to call the Apostle Peter to his house. But how will Peter go to a Gentile, when he knows that it is not foolish for a Judean man to cleave to a foreigner, v. 28? This obstacle has also been miraculously removed.

Before the messengers from Cornelius came to the Apostle Peter to call him, he had a heavenly vision in the upper room of the house where he was praying. This vision enlightened him that the pagans should not be despised as unclean, because God had cleansed them also with His precious Blood. Peter came to Cornelius' house, preached to them about Jesus Christ, and even during his preaching, Cornelius and all who were in his house received the gift of the Holy Spirit, spoke in different languages and magnified God. Everyone is baptized. It is noteworthy that the Angel of the Lord appeared to both Cornelius and Peter the Apostle the heavenly shroud with various animals while they were praying: one at the ninth hour, and the other at the sixth. Time is also wonderful. It is also remarkable that before the vision of the heavenly shroud in the form of a tablecloth, the Apostle Peter was seized with terror. Thus, even the saints of God are terrified by heavenly visions. It was the same with Abraham, when he had a vision of fiery things between the halves of sacrificial animals.

Hl. 11, p. 18. And with the tongue God will give repentance in the life.

And we, that is, our Russian ancestors, turned from paganism to God, and God gave us repentance in our lives. Let us glorify God for this. Grant me, a sinner, O God, before death, repentance unto eternal life. If you don't, I'll perish forever.

Art. 19; 21. The hand of the Lord was with them (who were scattered from tribulation, who were in the time of Stephen): and many of those who believed were converted to the Lord.

If we preach the Word of God and our preaching is successful, it is a sure sign that the hand of the Lord is with us. But it is necessary to be worthy of holiness of life and zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of people – the all-powerful help from the Lord.