Setting/changing a date in application.cfm

I need to be able to set a date in the application.cfm file

for example

<CFSET APPLICATION.stopdate='10/15/2014'>

Then in my site on other pages I have code that says

<cfif reportdate GT #APPLICATION.stopdate#>Do This</cfif>

The problem is sometimes I need to change the APPLICATION.stopdate to another date during the middle of the day.

For example I need to change the APPLICATION.stopdate from 10/15/2014 to 10/25/2014

However I notice when I change the  APPLICATION.stopdate in the application.cfm to another date during the middle of the day that the APPLICATION.stopdate stays the old date.

How do I make sure that the APPLICATION.stopdate changes sitewide when I change it in the application.cfm?

Do I use another variable scope?