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.

Hl. 12. Peter is imprisoned by Herod; The Church prays diligently for him. An angel appears to Peter in prison. The light shone over the prison from the glory of the heavenly visitor; he leads him out and leads him through two guards, after which he comes to the iron gates; the gates open of their own accord. (To what earthly king the heaviest iron gates ever opened, even simple, ordinary gates!) Then he passes one street and the Angel disappears. Peter comes to his senses. Glory to Thee, O God, wondrous in Thy saints!

Hl. 13, p. 15. After the reading of the law, the prophet (in Pisidian Antioch) sent the leaders of the assembly to them, the apostles, saying: "Men, brethren, if there is a word of consolation in you to men, speak."

On this sinful, passionate, restless and sorrowful earth, which is obviously passing by, what word of consolation can we say to people, if not the word of faith, the word of the future endless kingdom in heaven, waiting for the worthy! The word of faith, and it alone, is truly a word of consolation to people. Let us preach it and console pious souls with it.

Art. 38 and 39. Let it be known to you, men brethren, that for His sake the forgiveness of sins is preached: and from all, from whom it is not possible to be justified in the law of Moses, in Him everyone who believes will be justified.

Know all of you that for the sake of the Lord, for the sake of His merits before the justice of God, everyone can receive the forgiveness of all sins, whatever one may have, and be righteous by the righteousness of Christ, if only he believes in the Lord and His merits and repents of his sins. The inhabitants of Antioch so pleased the words of heavenly consolation, that on the following Saturday almost the entire city gathered to hear the Word of God. Art. 44.

For instruction [24]

Hl. 14, verses 8-11, 15-18. A certain man in Liszt was weak in legs, gray with his feet, lame from his mother's womb, who walked somewhere. And when he heard Paul, saying, "Whosoever hath looked upon him, and beheld that he hath faith to be in good health, saith with a great voice, I say unto thee in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, stand upright on thy foot." And he jumped up and walked. And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voice, saying in the Lycaonian, "God is like a man, and he has come down to us."